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First investigation of trace metal distribution in surface seawater and copepods of the south coast of Sfax (Tunisia)

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Abstract

The increased metal loading from anthropogenic sources has affected aquatic ecosystems and has cascaded through food webs worldwide. Therefore, the evaluation of ecological impacts of anthropogenic metal has become increasingly important. In this paper, we monitored the concentration of six trace metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in the three copepod groups (cyclopoida, calanoida, and harpacticoida) and in seawater samples collected from the south coast of Sfax (Tunisia). Results showed that the concentration of Fe and Zn for all copepod groups was higher than that for other metals and that of Cd was the lowest in all groups. The mean increase in bioconcentration factor of metals in copepods ranged from 0.05 to 18.93 and followed the sequence Zn (18.93) > Fe (14.34) > Pb (6.41) > Cd (1.53) > Cu (0.10) > Ni (0.05). The copepods in the south coast of Sfax were found to have a great capacity to accumulate trace metals and act as contamination indicators. Comparative studies with those from the Luza zone indicate considerable bioaccumulation of trace metals (Pb and Ni) in all copepod groups namely in cyclopoida.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the research unit Biodiversity and Aquatic Ecosystems UR/11ES72, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax (Tunisia).

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  1. Biodiversity and Aquatic Ecosystems UR/11ES72 Research Unit, Department of Life Sciences Research, Sfax Faculty of Sciences, University of Sfax, Street of Soukra Km 3.5, PO Box 3000, BP 1171, Sfax, Tunisia

    Zohra Ben Salem & Habib Ayadi

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Correspondence to Zohra Ben Salem.

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Ben Salem, Z., Ayadi, H. First investigation of trace metal distribution in surface seawater and copepods of the south coast of Sfax (Tunisia). Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 19662–19670 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9536-x

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