HEAVY METAL CONTAMINATION IN FOUR FISH SPECIES FROM THE ATLANTIC COAST OF MOROCCO

The purpose of this study is to assess concentration of selected metal (Lead, Cadmium and Mercury) in the muscle of four fish species Scomber japonicus, Sardina pilchardus, Engraulis encrasicolus, Trachurus trachurus, collected in December 2012 and 2013 from central and southern zone of the Moroccan Atlantic coast using the surveys conducted by R/V Al Amir of the national institute of fisheries research.. The samples were analyzed by a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) for lead and cadmium, and by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS) for mercury. The concentration of heavy metal measured in the fish species were expressed as mg/Kg of wet weight (w/w). In our study, the heavy metals content in the muscles of fish species did not exceed the limit allowed by European communities. This results will therefore allow to assess the level of metal contamination between different species of pelagic fish studied, and also attest to the quality of the fish captured along the Moroccan coast.