International Journal of Marine Science, 2017, Vol.7, No.1, 1-7
4
discharge. Hydrocarbons as soluble or as tar particles can enter fish through the water, primarily through the gills
or from their food by feeding on polluted prier (Al-Saad and Al-ASadi, 1989).
Figure 2 Average percentage of total petroleum hydrocarbons (μg/g dry wt.)
In this study levels of TPH was close to or higher than as Salman (2011) reported in Um Al -Ward (2.46-3.23) μg/g;
Al-Bagdadia (4.79-6.87) μg/g; Al-Nagarah (3.31-3.60) μg/g; Al-Bargah (1.51-2.76) μg/g. Due to increased oil
activity in the Shatt al-Arab through the loading and unloading of ships and through the tides.
Atti (2014) reported the maximum value of petroleum hydrocarbons concentration in the muscles of green mullet
Liza subviridis
fish was recorded during winter (8.95 μg/g), whereas the highest value in the muscles of gold
mullet
Liza klunzingeri
fish was recorded during spring (9.85 μg/g).The lowest values recorded in summer for
both tissues in green and golden mullet fish In Shatt Al-Basrah. While (Al-Saad et al., 2015) found that the highest
concentrations of
L. abu
species was 37.3 μg/g dry weight during summer in the treatment unit station, while the
lowest concentrations 4.81 μg/g dry weight was recorded during spring in reference station. Whereas for
C.
auratus
species the highest concentrations 29.303 μg/g dry weight was recorded during autumn in the treatment
unit station, while the lowest concentrations 2.51 μg/g dry weight was recorded during spring in reference station
they found that
L. abu
species have more ability to accumulate TPHs in their tissues compared with
C. auratus
species. Al-Ali et al. (2016) found that the levels of total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) in fourteen
commercially important fish species from the Iraqi coastal water in North West Arabian Gulf during summer and
winter (2014-2015). PHC residues in fourteen fish species varied between 2.45 and 6.85 μg/g (dry wt.) in summer
and 2.64 and 7.65 μg/g (dry wt.) in winter. Among the fourteen
Tenualosa ilisha
showed the highest level of TPH
in both season summer and winter (6.85 ± 0.29, 7.65 ± 0.31 μg/g) respectively in the muscle tissue followed by
Euryglossa orientalis
(2.45 ± 0.3, 2.64 ± 0.06 μg/g) respectively also in both seasons. Also, we found that the
Leuciscus vorax
have the highest concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons compared with other fish.
Al-Saad et al. (2008) observed the mean concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons in
Tenualosa ilisha
fish were
different due to its lengths and to the month in which has been capture. The lower mean concentration were
observed during September in lengths (20±2 cm) value 0.29 μg/g dry weight expressed as Basra crude oil
equivalent, with fat content (45.51%),while higher values of petroleum hydrocarbons observed during March-
May in lengths (40±2 cm) mean 8.89-5.34 ug/g dry weight and high values of fat % (54.17-78.10) respectively.
Al-Saad et al. (2008) reported the hydrocarbons concentration decrease with the decrease of the lengths of fish
and also during the months, this may be due to the fat contain of fish which differ in age stages. Asuquo and Udoh
(2002) found the levels of total hydrocarbons in fish from Cross river Estuary in Nigeria greater than 6
(
Ethmalosa fimbriata
6.91±0.37 and
Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus
14.78±1.33 (ppm) and they found that depending
on the season which was greater in wet season Al-Saad (1995) reported that many aquatic organisms of Shatt
Al-Arab river including plants, algae, zooplankton, bacteria and fish were capable to synthesize biogenic
hydrocarbons. There are many factors that affect the distribution of hydrocarbons in Shatt Al -Arab River (which
accumulated later in the tissues of fish) such as, volatilization, mixing, flushing adsorption, chemical oxidation,
