title: Ecological Risk Assessment of Metal Pollution along Greater Cairo Sector of the River Nile, Egypt, Using Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, as Bioindicator.
abstract: The present work aims to evaluate seasonal metal pollution along Greater Cairo sector of the River Nile, Egypt, using wild Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, as bioindicator and to conduct a risk assessment for human consumers. Greater Cairo is the largest populated area along the whole course of River Nile with a wide range of anthropogenic activities. Effects of metal pollution on fish body indices were studied using condition factor (CF) and scaled mass index (SMI). Metal pollution index (MPI) showed that the total metal load in fish organs followed the follwoing order: kidney > liver > gill > muscle which gives a better idea about the target organs for metal accumulation. Metal concentrations in fish muscle (edible tissue) showed the following arrangement: Fe > Zn > Cu > Mn > Pb > Cd. Metal's bioaccumulation factor (BAF) in fish muscle showed the following arrangement: Zn > Cu > Fe > Mn > Cd and Pb. The hazard index (HI) as an indicator of human health risks associated with fish consumption showed that adverse health effects are not expected to occur in most cases. However, the metals' cumulative risk effects gave an alarming sign specifically at high fish consumption rates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt ; Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Wael A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Omar
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Resources, Institute of African Research and Studies, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt.
authors.forename: Wafai Z A
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Mikhail
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Resources, Institute of African Research and Studies, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hanaa M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Abdo
authors.affiliation: Soil, Water and Environment Research Institute (SWERI), Agricultural Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Giza 12613, Egypt.
authors.forename: Tarek A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Abou El Defan
authors.affiliation: Soil, Water and Environment Research Institute (SWERI), Agricultural Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Giza 12613, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mamdouh M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Poraas