Comparison of some heavy metal levels of round sardinella [Sardinella Aurita], dusky spinefoot [Siganus luridus] and Atlantic lizardfish [Synodus saurus] from Mex bay in Alexandria

ABSTRACT

Heavy metal [Cd, Cr, Cu, Cr, Pb, and Hg] concentrations in the muscle and liver of three fish species Round sardinella [Sardinella aurita], Dusky spinefoot [Siganus luridus] and Atlantic lizardfish [Synodus saurus] from Mex bay in Alexandria were measured and the relationships between fish size [length and weight] and metal concentrations in the tissues were investigated by linear regression analysis. Metal concentrations [as microg g-1 w. wt.] were highest in the liver and lowest in the muscle of all the fish species. Highest concentrations of Cd [0.36] and Cr [8.04] were measured in liver tissues of S. saurus and S. luridus, respectively. The liver of S. saurus showed strikingly high Cu concentrations [11.6]. Results of correlation coefficient showed that, except in a few cases, significant relationships between metal concentrations and fish size were negative. Highly significant [P<0.001] negative relationships were found between fish length and Cd concentrations in the liver of S. luridus and S. saurus, Cr concentrations in the muscles and liver of S. luridus and liver of S. saurus and Cu concentrations in the liver of S. saurus is and muscles of S. luridus. Cu and Hg concentrations in the liver of S. aurita also showed very significant [P<0.001] negative relationships. While, very significant [P<0.001] positive relationships found between Cd and Cr in the liver S. luridus and S. saurus, Hg and Pb in the liver of S saurus. The amount of metals consumed weekly calculated for each metal was compared with the provisional tolerable weekly intakes [PTWI]