Abstract
Clams ( Meretrix meretrix) were collected during April–May 1991 (post-war period) from five locations along the Saudi Arabian coast of the Gulf. All the soft tissue from each clam was removed and digested separately at 120°C for 3 h in the nitric-perchloric acids mixture. Twenty metals were determined in the acid digests using an inductively coupled plasma analyser. Clams ( Meretrix meretrix) were also collected from the same stations in April–May, 1985 (pre-war period) and analysed for Cd, Co, Cr, Mo, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn. Wherever appropriate, these data were compared with those collected in this study. Sediment and seawater samples were also collected during clam sampling. Concentrations of selected metals were determined in the sediment and seawater samples. Concentrations of Ba, Ca, K, Mg, P, and Sr were affected significantly (p<0.01) by the clam size. The maximum mean concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn were found in the clam samples collected from the sampling Station 11BA—closest to Kuwait. Strong interactions (p<0.001) were observed between Ba, Ca, Mg, Sr, and P in clams in 1991. This was also noted for clams collected in 1985. Cadmium, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, and V were significantly (p<0.001) inter-related to each other in clams collected in 1991 but not in those collected in 1985. A comparison between the data collected in 1985 and the present study revealed that the mean concentrations of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and V were always higher in the clams collected from 8BA, 9BA, and 11BA in 1991 as compared with those collected in 1985. Interestingly, the magnitude of increase was enhanced towards north (i.e. towards Kuwait). Like bioaccumulation by clams, the maximum mean concentrations of metals were found in the seawater samples collected from Station 11BA. Metal concentrations in the sediment did not follow a similar trend. The activities of the Gulf War and the Gulf Oil Spill appear to have affected metal bioaccumulation by clams in the northern Gulf.
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