Journal of Wetland Ecobiology
Volume 17, Issue 1 (Spring 2025)
2025, 17(1): 74-84 |
Back to browse issues page
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Behbash R, Askary Sary A. Biological Correlation between Heavy Metal Concentrations (Lead and Arsenic) and Biometrics of Redbelly Tilapia (Coptodon zillii) in the Shadegan Wetland Ecosystem. Wetland Ecobiology 2025; 17 (1) : 6
URL: http://jweb.ahvaz.iau.ir/article-1-1123-en.html
URL: http://jweb.ahvaz.iau.ir/article-1-1123-en.html
Abstract: (225 Views)
The international Shadegan Wetland, as one of the most important wetlands in southwestern Iran, is exposed to considerable contamination by heavy metals, including lead and arsenic, due to the inflow of urban wastewater, industrial effluents, and agricultural runoff. This pollution poses a serious threat to the ecosystem and public health. Redbelly tilapia (Coptodon zillii), as an invasive and widely consumed species in this wetland, has a high potential for bioaccumulation of these contaminants and may consequently affect human health through the food chain. Therefore, assessing the accumulation levels of these elements in the edible tissues of this fish is of great importance. The present study aimed to determine the bioaccumulation levels of lead and arsenic in the muscle tissue of redbelly tilapia from the Shadegan Wetland and to examine their relationships with biometric indices, including total length and weight. For this purpose, 30 specimens were collected from two mid-wetland stations during the spring of 1395 (2016). After recording biometric characteristics, heavy metal concentrations in muscle tissue were measured using atomic absorption spectrometry. The results indicated that the mean concentrations of lead and arsenic were 557.42 and 146.03 ppb, respectively. The lead concentration exceeded the national permissible limit of 0.3 mg kg⁻¹, suggesting that consumption of this fish may pose potential health risks to consumers. However, no statistically significant relationships were observed between the bioaccumulation levels of lead and arsenic and fish length or weight (P > 0.05). In contrast, a strong and significant positive correlation was found between the concentrations of these two metals (P < 0.001), indicating a common source or similar pathways of contaminant input into the wetland ecosystem. These findings underscore the necessity of continuous monitoring and management of pollution sources in the Shadegan Wetland, as well as controlling the health status of the invasive redbelly tilapia, which constitutes a substantial portion of the local diet.
Article number: 6
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/12/31 | Accepted: 2026/01/10 | Published: 2026/01/10
Received: 2025/12/31 | Accepted: 2026/01/10 | Published: 2026/01/10
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |