Journal of Environmental Biology

Concentration of heavy metals in water and chub, Leuciscus cephalus (Linn.)

from the river Yildiz, Turkey

Semsettin Agtas¹, Huseyin Gey*² and Suleyman Gul²

*geyizmir@hotmail.com

¹Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Cumhuriyet University, Sivas-58100, Turkey

²Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Kafkas University, Kars-36100, Turkey

(Received: April 20, 2006 ; Revised received: September 01, 2006 ; Re-revised Received: November 01, 2006 ; Accepted: February 10, 2007)

Abstract: The concentration of heavy metals (Cu, Fe and Zn) were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in the river water and the edible muscle tissues of chub, Leuciscus cephalus, from river Yildiz, Turkey, and in the waste water. The following results were found in the water of the river Yildiz:  Cu 0.03-0.53, Fe 0.91-1.96 and Zn, 0.53-1.49 mgl^-1, in the waste water: Cu 0.20-0.52, Fe 1.22-2.29 and Zn 0.92-1.46 mgl^{-1  and} in the edible muscle of chub: Cu 1.00-3.79, Fe 7.21-17.04 and Zn 4.12-18.33 mg g^-1 wet weight respectively.  Among the heavy metals studied Pb, Cd, Co, Cr, Ni and Mn were not detected in the river water, waste water and chub samples. Heavy metal contents in these samples were evaluated and the highest concentrations of Cu, Fe and Zn were found in the muscle tissue. The levels of the heavy metals were detected in decreasing order as iron > zinc > copper.  All the samples contained comparatively lower amounts of metals as suggested by international and national regulatory bodies. Thus, we recommend periodic monitoring of these metals in the fish consumed by local people.

Key words:   Heavy metals, River water, Waste water, Fish, River Yildiz

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