Effect of temperature, feeding and starvation on depuration of heavy metals in some commercial bivalves of Timsah Lake, Suez Canal, Egypt.

The edible clams in the Timsah Lake are exposed to different industrial wastes which may be connected to the high accumulation of heavy metals in the studied species. Samples were collected from Timsah Lake in February 2019. The depuration experiments were commenced within 4 hours of the collection of shellfish. The lowest concentrations of Pb, Co, Ni and Zn after depuration were recorded at 15°C for R. decussatus while the lowest Pb, Co, Ni and Zn concentrations were recorded at 15°C, 25°C, 25°C and 20°C, respectively, for P. undulata. Significant differences were recorded in the reduction rate of heavy metals in the studied species with different temperatures except for Cu (P<0.05). The highest reduction rates of Cu, Fe, Pb, Co, Ni and Zn were recorded at 25°C, 25°C, 15°C, 15°C, 15°C and 15°C, respectively, for R. decussatus. The highest depuration and reduction rates for all concentrations of heavy metals were determined at starvation trials in R. decussatus (except for Cu and Zn). The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of temperature, feeding and starvation on the reduction of heavy metals (Cu, Fe, Pb, Co, Ni and Zn) in some commercial bivalves; namely, Ruditapes decussatus, Venerupis pullastra and Paphia undulata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]