Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals (Cadmium, Lead and Nickel) in Blue Swimming Crab (Portunus pelagicus)

This study done with the aim to determine the Cd, Pb and Ni concentrations in the muscle tissue of blue swimming crab (Portunus pelagicus) of the Persian Gulf coasts in winter and summer seasons in Bandar Abbas and Bushehr cities. Generally, 130 samples of blue swimming crab were randomly selected. After separation of the muscle tissue of samples, chemical digestion of the samples was carried out and determination of the concentration of metals was performed by atomic absorption Spectrophotometer. The succession of studied metals in the muscle tissue of blue swimming crab in the winter and summer seasons in cities was obtained as follows: Pb> Ni> Cd. In winter, all three metals, and in summer Cd and Ni in the muscle tissue of blue swimming crab showed a significant difference between the studied cities. Although the concentration of Pb in the muscle tissue of blue swimming crab in Bushehr was higher than the Bandar Abbas, but this difference was not significant. In both cities, mean concentration of Cd and Ni in blue swimming crab in the summer was significantly higher than winter. Also, the mean concentration of Pb in muscle tissue of blue swimming crab in Bandar Abbas in summer was significantly higher (p = 0.01) than winter, but in Bushehr this difference was not significant. The mean concentration of metals studied in the muscle tissue of blue swimming crab in the Sumer and winter seasons was lower than the WHO, FAO and US FDA standards.