Use the mud crab Chiromentes boulengeri (Calmen,1920) as bioindicator to pollution in Shat Al-Arab River by Heavy Matels

Abstract

The mud crab Chiromentes boulengeri (Calmen,1920) were used as bioindicator to pollution in Shatt Al- Arab River by heavy metals (Co, Cu, Cd,Ni, Fe, Mn, Pb(, two stations were choosen, Al-Salhia (possibly polluted area) and Karmat Ali (possibly least polluted area), the study shows remarkable increase in heavy metals concentration in the tissue of mud crab in the possible polluted area (Al- Salhia) as those cpmared with least polluted area (Karmat Ali). Remarkable increase in metabolic enzymes (ALT, AST and CK) in the hemolemph of mud crab inhabiting Salhia compared with Karmmat Ali, the levels of metabolic enzymes noted to be altered with increase of most of heavy metals in water and sediments, this lead to the conclusions that the metabolic enzymes can possibly used as physiological indicator to pollution by heavy metals and the mub crab possibly used as bioindicator for monitoring program of water pollution in Shatt Al- Arab River.