Effect of bioaccumulation of lead, cadmium, and copper on the protein and lipid content of Metapenaeus affinis shrimp muscles in Shatt al-Basra Canal, Iraq

.Intisar M.A Jabbar

Authors

Intisar M. A. Jabbar Department of Marine Biology, Marine Science Centre, University of Basrah https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4302-7161

Keywords:

Bioaccumulation; Heavy metals; Metapenaeus affinis; Bioindicator; Shatt Al-Basrah Canal.

Abstract

Heavy metal pollution in aquatic environments presents a substantial danger to environmental quality and seafood safety due to the bioaccumulation of trace metals in edible aquatic creatures. Monitoring of commercially important shrimp species provides useful data for the evaluation of metal contamination and its possible effect on human health. There is little information about seasonal and sexual changes of heavy metals bioaccumulation and biochemical composition of the muscle of Metapenaeus affinis from southern Iraq. This research analyzed the influence of season and sex on the accumulation of copper (Cu), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in the abdominal muscle and their relationship with protein and lipid levels in muscle. The season was the dominant factor in the accumulation of heavy metals in M. affinis, and sex was the dominant factor in the biochemical composition of the muscle. Concentrations of heavy metals were significantly higher in summer than in winter (p < 0.001), and females showed significantly higher muscle protein and lipid contents than males. The strong positive correlations between Cu, Pb and Cd suggest common environmental sources of contamination. Copper concentrations increased from 23.41 ± 2.21 to 28.75 ± 3.39 mg kg⁻¹ DW, lead from 1.71 ± 0.20 to 2.37 ± 0.32 mg kg⁻¹ DW, and cadmium from 0.280 ± 0.024 to 0.411 ± 0.029 mg kg⁻¹ DW from winter to summer. Females showed significantly higher total protein (73.27 ± 1.08%) and lipid (7.21 ± 0.26%) contents than males (72.17 ± 1.05% and 6.81 ± 0.29%, respectively). Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed the strongest association between Cu and Cd (r = 0.637, p < 0.001), whereas only weak positive correlations were observed between heavy metals and muscle protein content. Seasonal environmental conditions strongly regulate heavy metal bioaccumulation in M. affinis, whereas the muscle biochemical composition is mainly influenced by physiological processes related to sex. The species is a good bio-indicator for heavy metals pollution and a good source of baseline information for environmental monitoring and seafood safety assessment in Shatt Al-Basrah Canal, Southern Iraq.

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