DISTRlBUTION OF HEAVY METALS IN THE DAMIETTA NILE ESTUARY ECOSYSTEM.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Zoology Dept , Faculty of Sci. Am Shams Univ.

2 Zoology Dept Damietta i~aciilty of Sd , Mansoura Univ.

3 Zoology Pept. Faculty of Sci, Mansoura Uinv.

Abstract

Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb concentrations have been determined in water. bottom sediment and fishes (Oreochromi. aureus and Liza ramada ) in Damietta Nile Estuary The results show that, heavy metals concentration in water was found
in the following descending order : Zn > Pb > Cu > Cd , with average concentrations between 0.03 and 0.35 for Cu 0 13 and 0.79 for Zn 0.001 and 0.005 for Cd , 0.02 and 0.51 mg/Ifor Pb. The maximum concentrations of Cu , Zn and Cd in water was found in Damietta city, while Pb concentration was the highest, in El-Borg city coast, where ship building is common. Moreover. Pb concenttdtion in most studied sites was found to exceed the international permissible limit.
Heavy metals concentration in sediment was many times higher than those of overlying water, and followed the order : Zn > Cu > Pb > Cd. Zn and Cu concentrations in sediment of most studied sites that far exceeded the international standard concentrations. Heavy metals concentration in the muscles of O.aureus and L.ramada followed the
order: Zn> Cu> Pb> Cd. The muscles and liver of L.ramada accumulated higher levels of heavy metals than those of O. aureus. However, higher concentrations were reported in the liver, while the edible muscles still have lower levels of heavy metals than the international permissible levels.

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Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries
Volume 3, Issue 4
June 1999
Pages 369-397

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