ORGANOCHLORINEPESTICIDES AND HEAVYMETALSINFISHREAREDIN TREATED SEWAGEEFFLUENTSAND FISH GROWNINFARMSUSING POLLUTEDSURFACEWATERSINEGYPT

Abstract

In a full scale experimental study, raw sewage from the City of Suez, Egypt was treated using a stabilization pond system. Fish grown in the treated sewage was compared with fish from one ofthe farms which receives contaminated surface water in Lake Manzala. Organochlorine pesticides were detected at higher levels in fish from Lake Manzala farms, thanin fish reared in the treated sewage of the City ofSuez. The highest levels were due to p,p'DDT and its metabolites, followed by Lindane andHCB. Furthermore, the concentrations ofPb and Cdwere significantly higher in the fish from the Lake Manzala farm. thanin the fish from Suez. In addition, the concentration levels ofPb and Cd in the fish from Lake Manzala exceeded the international contaminant limits for human consumption. In general, fish grown in this region have high levels of pesticides and metal contaminants. It is interesting to note that in spite ofpossible cultural bias against fish grown in treated sewage effluents, have lower levels oftoxic chemicals than some ofthe marketed fish, harvested from polluted surface waters. Copyright © 19961AWQ. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd