Seasonal Variations in Heavy Metal Accumulation in Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) and Tigris River Water – Khalis District, Diyala Governorate, Iraq

Authors

  • Mohamed M. Alalkawy

    Author

Abstract
      An environmental study was conducted to evaluate the effects of seasonal variation and geographical location on the accumulation of selected heavy metals in the water of the Tigris River and in the tissues of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) within the Al-Khalis region. The study included two sampling sites, namely Al-Sindiyah and Jadidat Al-Shatt. Concentrations of four heavy metals—cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb)—were determined in river water and fish tissues (gills, liver, and muscles) following extraction using standard procedures and analysis by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed no statistically significant  differences in cadmium (Cd) concentrations in river water , either among the different seasons or between the two study sites. Conversely, copper (Cu) concentrations exhibited statistically significant differences, with the highest concentration recorded at Al-Sindiyah site (0.831 mg/L), compared to the lowest concentration recorded at Jadidat Al-Shatt site (0.471 mg/L). Zinc (Zn) concentrations also showedna significant increase during winter and spring compared to autumn, with the highest concentration recorded at Al-Sindiyah site during spring (0.766 mg/L), whereas Jadidat Al-Shatt site recorded the lowest concentration (0.487 mg/L). Spring recorded the highest concentration, with a mean of 0.805 mg/L, compared with the autumn and winter seasons. No significant effect of area or season was observed on lead concentration. With regard to bioaccumulation in the tissues examined (gills, liver, and muscle), zinc exhibited the highest significant accumulation in the liven during spring (144.737 μg/g dry weight) relative to autumn and winter. This element also displayed the highest significant accumulation in muscle tissue during autumn (82.82 μg/g dry weight) relative to winter and spring. In contrast, cadmium, copper, and lead (Cd, Cu, Pb) showed no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) in tissue concentrations across the  seasons.
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Published
2026-09-30
Issue
Vol. 18 No. 3 (2026)
Section
Articles

How to Cite

Seasonal Variations in Heavy Metal Accumulation in Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) and Tigris River Water – Khalis District, Diyala Governorate, Iraq. (2026). Euphrates Journal of Agricultural Science, 18(3). https://ejs-agri.com/index.php/EJAS/article/view/470