Effect of heavy metals in irrigation water of different fish farms on the quality of cultured fish.

The present study aimed to study the effect of irrigation water quality in different fish farms in Egypt on the quality of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, produced from these fish farms. Four fish farms (El-Abbasa, Edko, Mariout and Bahr El-Baqar) which irrigated with different water sources were selected to study the effect of some heavy metals (iron, copper, zinc and lead) on fish quality produced from these farms during the period of fish culturing from April 2018 to November 2018. Results indicated that most of the highest averages of all heavy metal concentrations in water, sediment and fish muscular tissues were recorded from Bahr El-Baqar fish farm and their lowest values from El-Abbasa fish farm. The highest contamination factors for most heavy metals were recorded in Bahr El-Baqar fish farm and the lowest in El-Abbasa fish farm. The present study concluded that El-Abbassa fish farm has low pollution and the other fish farms (Edko, Mariout, and Bahr El-Baqar) have progressive deterioration of the site quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]