Seasonal heavy metal monitoring of water, sediment and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Aras Dam Lake of Iran

Heavy metal in aquatic ecosystems are monitored by measuring their concentrations in water, sediments and biota. In the presented study, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, and zinc concentrations determined in water, sediment and tissues (liver and muscle) of Cyprinus carpio in Aras dam Lake of Iran, during spring, summer, autumn, and winter from 2016 to 2017. The concentration of Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu and Ni of samples were measured using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. The concentration of Hg was analyzed using Atomic Absorption equipped with MHS 15 CVAAS. The trend in the metal mean concentrations of liver and muscle was Zn>Cu>Pb≈Ni>Cd>Hg, and water and sediment were Cu>Zn>Pb>Cd≈Ni>Hg. Heavy metals concentration was more in sediment than fish tissues and water. This results revealed that heavy metals accumulation of muscle was the highest in summer showing the most contaminated season. Whereas, winter had the lowest contamination in water (Cd،Hg, Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn), sediments (Hg, Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni), and the liver and muscle of fish (Cd, Zn, Ni, Cu). The amount of heavy metals was less or slightly higher than global standards (EPA, WHO).