Determination of Heavy Metal (Zn, Pb, Cd and Cr) Concentration in Benthic Fauna Tissues Collected from the Southeast Caspian Sea, Iran

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology 2014, Vol.92 (1), p.57-60
• Main Authors: Saghali, Mahmood, Hoseini, Seyyed Morteza, Hosseini, Seyed Abbas, Baqraf, Rauf
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Aquatic life; Aquatic Organisms - metabolism; Aquatic Pollution; Benthic fauna; benthic organisms; Benthos; Biological and medical sciences; Cadmium; Chromium; Contaminated sediments; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental Monitoring; fauna; fish; fish feeding; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heavy metal content; Heavy metals; Invertebrates - metabolism; Iran; Lead; Marine and brackish environment; Metal concentrations; Metals, Heavy - metabolism; normal values; Oceans and Seas; Pollution; Soil Science & Conservation; Toxicity; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism; Water Pollution Control; Zinc
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s00128-013-1133-1

The aim of the present study was to determine zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) content of benthic fauna in the southeast coast of the Caspian Sea, where the major fish restocking programs are conducted. Seasonal sampling was performed in three sampling sites: north Miankaleh (NM), south Miankaleh (SM) and Gharesoo coast (GC). Results showed that sampling sites, sampling seasons and sampling sites × sampling seasons interaction had a significant effect on the heavy metal levels (p < 0.05). The yearly heavy metal concentration order was as follows: Zn > Pb > Cd > Cr. Yearly Pb levels of the NM site were significantly higher than the other sites. Also, yearly Cr levels of the SM site were significantly higher than site GC. Comparison of the benthos heavy metal levels with the available reference values suggests that the benthos tissues might be highly polluted which can intoxicate the fish feeding on them.