The Effect of Water Pollution on Hygienic Condition of Fish

Abstract

Fish and shellfish (filter feeders), concentrate chemical and bacterial pollutants from the water and can be dangerous carriers of enteric pathogens. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the extent of chemical and bacteriological pollution of fish, shellfish and their growing water. To fulfill this objective, a total of 295 samples of different fish and shellfish as well as their growing water were collected from different locations representing different types of growing water (seawater, freshwater and fish farm).

The study came to the following results:

1- The mean Cd content of fish collected from fish farm (0.214 p.p.m) was significantly higher than that of salted water fish (0.163 p.p.m) and freshwater fish (0.116 p.p.m). The highest mean Cd level was found in fish and shellfish collected from El Mex Bay Coastal Area. The mean Cd level was 0.231 p.p.m. in fish and 0.350 p.p.m in shellfish. 2- Regarding salted water fish, Batata showed the highest level of Cd

(0.232 p.p.m) and the highest incidence of samples exceeding the permissible limit (70%). I 3- In case of fish farm, Cd level in Bari (0.278 p.p.m) was much higher than that in Bolti (0.149 p.p.m). The opposite was found in fresh water. In the mean time, 60% of Bori fish and 40% of Bolti fish collected from fish farm exceeded the permissible limit of Cd compared to 3 5% and 47.5% ofBori and Bolti fish samples from fresh water. 4- The concentrations of Cd in shellfish were much higher than in fish ranging between a maximum of 0.284 p.p.m in Crab and a minimum of 0.108 .p.p.m in Omelkhlol.