Environmental and physiological impacts of heavy metals on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Bayomy,, M. F. F; Alne-na-ei, A. A.; Gaber, H. S.; Khairy, D.M; Sayed, H. A

doi:10.21608/jbaar.2015.105952

Environmental and physiological impacts of heavy metals on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Authors

¹ Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Menoufiya University,Shebin El-kom, Egypt

² Professor in Pollution laboratory, National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, El- Kanater El-Khairyia

³ Organic Department, Central Laboratory for Environmental Quality Monitoring, El- Kanater El-Khairyia, Egypt

10.21608/jbaar.2015.105952

Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate the distribution of selected metals (Fe, Zn, Cd, Pb, and Cu) in tissues of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) grown along El- Khadrawia drain – Mubark industrial Zone. The tissues analyzed included muscle and liver. Results showed metal concentrations in water followed a richness of: Fe> Zn> Cu> Pb >Cd mg/l (p < 0.05) while Fe> Cu > Zn > Pb > Cd mg/Kg dry wt. (p < 0.05) in muscles and liver tissues in winter season. Metal levels in muscles follow the level: Zn>Fe>Cu> Pb>Cd mg/Kg dry wt. (p < 0.05), while in liver they follow the level: Fe > Zn > Cu>Pb>Cd mg/Kg dry wt. (p < 0.05) in summer season. The presence of heavy metals led to significant decrease in nucleic acids (DNA & RNA) contents in liver tissue during summer season (p<0.05). So, the study showed that muscles of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) along El- Khadrawia drain are not safe from contamination with the metals investigated

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