Total petroleum hydrocarbon carcinogens in commercial fish in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden-Yemen

Abstract EN

This paper presents the concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons in seventeen important commercial fish species, i.e., Crenidens Crenidens, Scomberomorus Commerson, Rastrelliger Kanagurta, Thunnus Albacares, Carchaias palasrras, Himantura Uarnak, Caranx Sem, Scomberoides Commersonianus, Chanos chanos, Lutjanus Sanguineus, Rachycentron Canadus, Euthynnus Affinis, Epinephelus Areolatus, Panutirus Homarun, Sepia Pharnais, Sphyraena Jello, Penaeus Semisulcatus from the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden of Yemen.

The concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons, showed no significant variations between fish species, i.e.

Crenidens Crenidens : (mean : 0.9 μg.g–1), Scomberomorus Commerson : (mean : 0.9 μg.g–1), Rastrelliger Kanagurta : (mean : 1.7 μg.g–1), Thunnus Albacares : (mean : 0.6 μg.g–1), Carchaias palasrras : (mean : 1.1 μg.g–1), Himantura Uarnak : (mean : 0.8 μg.g–1), Caranx Sem : (mean : 0.7 μg.g–1), Scomberoides Commersonianus : (mean : 0.7 μg.g–1), Chanos chanos : (mean : 1.1 μg.g–1), Lutjanus Sanguineus : (mean : 1.1 μg.g–1), Rachycentron Canadus : (mean : 0.8 μg.g–1), Euthynnus Affinis : (mean : 1.3 μg.g–1), Epinephelus Areolatus : (mean : 1.1 μg.g–1), Panutirus Homarun: (mean: 1.1 μg.g–1), Sepia Pharnais: (mean: 1.2 μg.g–1), Sphyraena Jello : (mean : 0.7 μg.g–1),and Penaeus Semisulcatus : (mean : 0.2 μg.g–1).

The study of relationships between petroleum hydrocarbons and weights or lengths indicated that these fish species do not concentrate these compounds in their tissues, a direct comparison between the concentrations measured in fish from other areas revealed no serious oil contamination in the investigated area and no risk from the consumption of fish.