Heavy metals' concentration in sediment, shrimp and two fish species from the northwest Persian Gulf

The concentrations of heavy metals (cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn)) were measured in hepatopancreas and muscle of a commercial shrimp (Metapenaeus affinis), in the muscle, liver and gills of two fish species (Thryssa vitrirostris and Johnius belangerii) and in the sediment samples taken from the mouth of the Arvand river, Meleh estuary and Musa estuary in the northeast Persian Gulf. Concentration of heavy metals varied depending on different tissues, species and sampling sites. Liver of fish and hepatopancreas of shrimp exhibited higher metals' concentration than the other tissues. Generally, in the mouth of the Arvand river, the highest concentration of metals was found in benthic species; while in the mouth of Musa estuary, the highest level of the metals was found in pelagic fish species. Bioaccumulation factors were observed to follow the order: J. belangerii-liver-Cd > T. vitrirostris-liver-Pb > M. affinis-hepatopancreas-Zn >M. affinis-hepatopancreas-Cu >M. affinis- hepatopancreas-Ni. The analysed heavy metals were found in sediment samples at mean concentration in the sediment quality guideline proposed by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Regional Organization for the Protection of The Marine Environment (ROPME), except for Ni concentration in some cases.