Accumulation of heavy metals in kidney and heart tissues of Epinephelus microdon fish from the Arabian Gulf

Abstract

Levels of Pb, Co, Cu, Ni, Zn, Mn and Cd in the kidney and heart tissues of Epinephelus Microdon collected from the Arabian Gulf, Eastern province of Saudi Arabia, were determined by wet digestion-based atomic absorption method. The results indicated that accumulation pattern of analyzed metals in the kidney tissues followed the order; Zn > Cu > Pb > Ni > Co > Mn > Cd, with Zn at 47.73 +/- 13.26 ppm and Cd at 0.41 +/- 0.16 ppm. Cu, Mn, Co and Ni levels in the kidney tissues were significantly lower or within the ranges reported previously. In the heart tissue the analyzed metals followed almost the same pattern of metal accumulation; Zn > Cu > Pb > Co > Ni > Mn > Cd. The average lead (3.19 +/- 2.03 ppm), nickel (1.69 +/- 0.52 ppm), cobalt (1.75 +/- 0.44 ppm), copper (3.96 +/- 0.98 ppm) and cadmium (0.34 +/- 0.23 ppm) concentrations were found high in the heart tissues whereas zinc and manganese levels were found high in kidney tissues. In general, the data indicated that marine fish from the sampling site of Arabian Gulf are comparatively clean and unpolluted.