Heavy Metals Levels in the Blood of Oreochromis niloticus niloticus and Clarias gariepinus as Biomarkers of Metal Pollution in the River Nile
Khaled Youssef AbouelFadl,
Walid Aly,
Abd-El-Baset Abd El – Reheem,
Usama M. Mahmoud,
Heba S. Hamed,
Mohsen A. Moustafa,
Alaa G. M. Osman
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 1, June 2016
Pages:
1-12
Received:
24 May 2016
Accepted:
3 June 2016
Published:
20 June 2016
DOI:
10.11648/j.ijee.20160101.11
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Abstract: A combination of biological monitoring (Biomonitoring) and measurements of water and sediment quality can provide a good indication of conditions and potential risks to any water body, which is an essential step in the development of efficient decision support tools for environmental managers. This study was carried out to investigate the possibility of using blood metal concentrations of two fish species Oreochromis niloticus niloticus and Clarias gariepinus as biomarkers of metal pollution, for the first time, to evaluate the health of the River Nile environment. Water, sediment and fish samples were collected seasonally from eighteen different sampling points, representing six different sites (three points from each site) along the whole course of the River Nile in Egypt. The present result concluded higher mean concentrations of nearly all the detected heavy metals in water and sediment samples collected from sampling sites downstream River Nile (polluted sites) compared to those collected from upstream river. The mean concentrations of all the detected metals were significantly (P<0.05) higher in the blood of fish collected from the polluted sites. Pb and Cd in blood serum collected from O. niloticus niloticus were significantly correlated (P<0.05) with corresponding levels in water and sediment samples collected from same sites. Likewise, Pb in blood serum collected from Clarias gariepinus was significantly correlated (P<0.05) with corresponding Pb in water and sediment samples collected from same sites, while Cr and Zn were significantly correlated only with sediment collected from same study sites. The results revealed species specific different sensitivities, suggesting that Nile tilapia may serve as a more sensitive test species compared to the African catfish. These results indicate that the blood metal concentrations of the selected species are adequate biomarkers of metal pollution and could be included in monitoring programmes to indicate the response of such animals to metal pollution.
Abstract: A combination of biological monitoring (Biomonitoring) and measurements of water and sediment quality can provide a good indication of conditions and potential risks to any water body, which is an essential step in the development of efficient decision support tools for environmental managers. This study was carried out to investigate the possibili...
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Puffer Fish Catch in the Egyptian Mediterranean Coast "The Challenged Invaders"
Alaa A. K. El-Haweet,
Mahmoud M. S. Farrag,
El-SayedKh. A. Akel,
Mohsen A. Moustafa
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 1, June 2016
Pages:
13-19
Received:
24 May 2016
Accepted:
3 June 2016
Published:
20 June 2016
DOI:
10.11648/j.ijee.20160101.12
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Abstract: Catch per unit effort (CPUE) and distribution of puffer fishes along the Egyptian Mediterranean coast were detected using commercial fishing operation during 2011 and 2012. Puffer fish were mainly caught by bottom long-lines followed by otter bottom trawls and occasionally by other gears (seiners, trammel and gill nets). The average (CPUE) from long-lines was 78.82 and 53.13 kg/day/boat during 2011& 2012, respectively, with a maximum of 101.7kg in autumn 2011 and 87.7kg in winter 2012; while the bottom trawler had an average CPUE equal to 8.70 and 16.77 kg/day/boat during 2011& 2012, respectively, with a maximum of 16.6kg and 31.3kg in the spring of 2011 & 2012, respectively. The percentage of puffer catch in relation to total catch of otter bottom trawl was 4.86% and 5.5% of the total catch of bottom trawlers during 2011, 2012, respectively. During the time of this study, five puffer fish species were identified; Lagocephalus sceleratus; L. suezensis; L. guentheri; L. lagocephalus and Sphoeroidespachygaster. They spread along the coast in various habitats (sandy, rocky and muddy) up to 150 m depth. L. sceleratus was the dominant, representing 97.8% by weight and 83.2% by number of the puffer fish catch with a length range of 5 to 83 cm. The present observation of some tropical puffer fishes reflected the change in the Mediterranean Sea biodiversity, which may affect the ecosystem and commercial fisheries, emphasizing the continuous investigation for the alien species to set up a special management plan for its exploitation.
Abstract: Catch per unit effort (CPUE) and distribution of puffer fishes along the Egyptian Mediterranean coast were detected using commercial fishing operation during 2011 and 2012. Puffer fish were mainly caught by bottom long-lines followed by otter bottom trawls and occasionally by other gears (seiners, trammel and gill nets). The average (CPUE) from lon...
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