| Author(s) | A. M. Ahmed and M. M. Hussein* |
| Affiliation | Department of Food Hygiene & Control; Department of Animal Hygiene, Nutrition & Behavior; Faculty of Vet. Med., Suez Canal University, Egypt |
| Title | Residual Levels of Some Heavy Metals in Fish Flesh and Water from El-Manzala Lake, Egypt |
| Source | Journal of King Saud University. Agricultural Sciences. Volume 16, No 2. (2004/1424) |
| Abstract | The level of four heavy metals cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb) and Mercury (Hg) in flesh of Mugil cephalus and Tilapia nilotica as well as water samples (90 each) collected from six different sites of El-Manzala lake, Egypt were evaluated. The results of this study revealed that the mean Cd, Cu, Pb and Hg levels in the water samples was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than the mean residuals levels in flesh of M. cephalus and T. nilotica samples. The mean residuals levels of cadmium were 0.60, 0.77 and 0.54 ppm/wet weight for M. cephalus, T. nilotica and water, respectively. 11.1% of M. cephalus, 18.6% of T. nilotica and 10.4% of water samples had Cd residuals level exceeding the permissible limit. The mean residual levels of Copper were 1.76, 1.94 and 1.28 ppm/wet weight for M. cephalus, T. nilotica and water, respectively. Cu residuals levels in all M. cephalus and T. nilotica sample were within the action limit, while 6.4% of water samples exceeded the action limit. Meanwhile, The mean residuals level of Lead was 1.51, 1.74 and 1.12 ppm/wet weight for M. cephalus, T. nilotica and water respectively. 20.5% of M. cephalus, 36% of T. nilotica and 28.9% of water samples had Pb residuals level exceeded the permissible limit. The mean residuals levels of mercury were 0.34, 0.17 and 0.08 ppm/wet weight for M. cephalus, T. nilotica and water, respectively. 5.1% of M. cephalus, 13% of T. nilotica and 9.2% of water samples had Hg residuals levels exceeding the permissible limit. These findings recommend that improved water quality control and periodically environmental monitoring are necessary in El-Manzala lake. In addition, recommendations regarding the acceptable number of fish meals to be consumed weekly from the health authorities should be taken to fish consumers, especially children and pregnant woman, to control the accumulative effect of heavy metals. |
