Abstract
Aim : Jeddah city is one of the most industrialized cities in the Kingdom of SaudiArabia. In the present study, concentration of heavy metals iron, lead and nickel was estimated in the sediments and surface water of Red Sea, Jeddah and histological variations in the fish Lutjanus monostigma.
Methodology : Water, sediment and fish samples of Lutjanus monostigma fish from the Red Sea were collected from three random locations along coastal fishing regions shoreline 500 m, foreshore 2500 m and offshore 5000 m seaward. The concentration of heavy metals, iron, nickel and lead in water and sediments were estimated by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Histological variation in gills, liver and intestine of fish Lutjanus monostigma were also studied.
Results : The perusal of data revealed high concentration of Fe, Pb and Ni in the sediments than in water samples. Several histological variations like hypertrophy, separation of respiratory lamellae, proliferation of chloride cells, increased mucous secretions, necrotic pillar cells, swelling and fusion of secondary lamellae as well as migration of epithelial cells of the lamellae with complete dissolution of blood sinusoids were observed in the gill tissues. The intestinal variation showed villi heterogeneity, increased mucous cells, vacuolar degenerations and separation of mucosal epithelial layer of intestinal villus, submucosal hyperplasia and disintegration of muscular layer with lymphocytic infiltration. Hepatocytes exhibited ballooning degeneration, nuclei pyknosis and karyolysis, sinusoidal collapse, lipid droplet accumulation and lymphocytic infiltration.
Interpretation : The present study concludes that sediments and coastal water of Red Sea, Jeddah is polluted with heavy metals which might induce histological variations in the tissues of L. monostigma.