Heavy Metals Bioaccumulation in Liver and Muscle Tissues of the Common Sole Fish (Solea solea) Inhabiting Damietta Fishing Harbor, Egypt

The current study aimed to investigate the accumulation of heavy metals {copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), and iron (Fe)} in common sole fish (Solea solea) sampled from Damietta fishing harbor and the surrounding area, Damietta, Egypt in winter and spring (2021). For this purpose, four water and fish samples had been collected from four sites purchased from Damietta harbor.
Heavy metals (HM) concentrations in water samples collected in the winter season were in the order of Fe > Ni > Zn > Cd > Cr > Pb > Cu > Mn; meanwhile, it was Ni > Pb > Fe > Cr > Zn > Cd > Cu > Mn in the spring season. Although the HM bioaccumulation in this fish species was lower than the permissible limit by FAO and WHO. The HM bio-concentrations showed remarkable differences among the sampling season and fish organs. The HM bio-concentration in the liver tissues was higher than in the muscle tissues of common sole fish. The HM accumulation in liver and muscle tissues sampled in the winter season was in the following order: Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu > Pb > Ni> Cr > Cd. On the other hand, the HM accumulation in both organ tissues sampled in the spring season was in the order of Fe > Zn > Mn > Pb > Cu > Ni > Cr > Cd. The current investigation revealed that the common sole fish inhabiting the Damietta harbor and surrounding areas were safe for human consumption, but the various pollution sources should be disposed of to manage and control HM accumulation in fish and the human being who consume this fish.