Concentrations of Polycyclic Aromatic hydrocarbons in the muscles of Planiliza klunzingeri in the Shatt Al-Basrah Canal, southern Iraq

Oil pollutants are one of the most dangerous pollutants to the aquatic environment, which affects aquatic organisms. Total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) levels were examined in the muscles of Planiliza klunzingeri at two stations on the Shatt Al-Basrah Canal seasonally. The results of the current study indicated that there is a variation in the levels of total petroleum hydrocarbons in the two study areas, which is ranged between 48.9 and 5.9 µg.g-1dry weight during the summer and autumn seasons. On the other hand, the statistical analysis showed high statistically significant differences in the level of total hydrocarbons in the muscles of fish in winter and summer, but no significant differences were recorded in spring and autumn. The results of (PAHs) in P. klunzingeri ranged between 0.644 and 36.961 ng.g-1dry weight in spring and winter, while lipid values ranged between 7.88% and 19.85% during spring and winter, Statistical analysis showed significant differences in muscle fat across seasons and for both stations during the seasons. The study also showed that the origin of (PAHs) from Pyrogenic sources for all seasons, as (PAHs) with high molecular weight (HMW-PAHs) were generally predominant and pollution in fish falls within low pollution.