Study of Monthly Changes in the Concentration of Some Heavy Elements in the Muscles of the Bunni Fish Mesopotamichthys sharpeyi in Two Selected Areas of Al-Hawizeh Marsh - Southern Iraq

The concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Ni, and Mn) were studied in the muscles of the Bunni fish Mesopotamichthys sharpeyi, which belongs to the Cyprinidae family. Elements' concentrations were measured using a flame atomic absorption spectrometer at two selected stations of Al-Hawizeh marsh, southern Iraq. The fish were weighed; their average weight was 905g, and their average length was 400mm. The results showed that the high concentrations of heavy metal values (Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Ni, Mn) were in fish muscles and reached 10.31, 35.77, 21.56, 62.03, 13.0, 14.17µg/ g dry weight at Um Al-Nia'aj station and 7.11, 16.62, 12.11, 55.37, 8.45, 4.24µg/ g dry weight at Al-Adaim station, respectively. Additionally, the lowest concentrations of these heavy metals reached 1,3, 4.04, 55.37, 1.62, 1.91µg/ g dry weight at Um Al-Nia'aj station and 0, 0, 2.04, 18.03, 0, 1.97µg/ g dry weight at Al-Adaim station. The results of the current study showed that the concentrations of the heavy metals studied were at their lowest limits in the muscles, except Cu, and were within the global and local permissible limits.