BIOACCUMULATION OF HEAVY METALS IN Sesarma boulengeri COLLECTED FROM SHATT AL- ARAB RIVER.

Abstract

Concentrations of heavy metals (Copper Cu, Iron Fe, Manganese Mn, Cadmium Cd, and Lead Pb) have been studied in river crab Sesarma boulengeri (Outer part of the shield and interior tissues) which caught from two stations in Shatt Al – Arab river (Salhia and Aldeir areas). Elements concentrations were measured by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer, concentration of heavy metals in the internal tissues was higher than in the outer shield in both of the stations with the highest value of the elements was to iron 95.21 mg\ kg during the spring as well as copper was 55 mg\kg and manganese was 39.09 mg\kg. The study showed the presence of seasonal changes in the studied heavy metals concentrations values in the tissues of river crab; while lead and cadmium recorded less abundant elements in the organism in the inner part where their concentration was 0.010 and 0.92 mg\ kg respectively in the second station during the summer. The values of elements in the water were unstable while in the sediments they were proximately fixed. The concentration and distribution of elements during the seasons were in the following order: winter > spring > autumn > summer.