COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF SEASONAL-VARIATION IN METAL CONCENTRATIONS IN RIVER NILE SEDIMENT, FISH, AND WATER BY ATOMIC-ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY

The effect of seasonal variations on heavy metal concentrations in river sediment; fish gills, flesh, and liver; and water samples is discussed. Samples were collected from the Helwan area of the Nile River (between El-Ekhsas and El-Roda) during several water quality study trips taken between 1991 (summer and autumn) and 1992 (winter and spring). An autoclave digestion method is described as the most suitable method for sample preparation prior to atomic absorption spectrometric measurements. The pollution of this area is checked also. It was found that heavy metal sedimentation varied depending on the sediment sampled and the season. There is a higher metal content in fish during the hot summer than during other seasons due to increased fish activity. A correlation between heavy metal sediment and concentrations found in fish is made. © 1994 Academic Press. All rights reserved.