Temporal and spatial variation in concentration of some heavy metals in Patella caerulae in rocky shore of Misurata Coast, Libya

Abstract

To investigate the temporal and spatial variation in soft tissue and shell in limpet Patella caerulae the concentrations of Fe, Pb, Cu, Cd and Zn was estimated in rocky shore in Misurata coast. The specimens were collected manually from Alramla and Qaser Ahmed region during 2 successive years, 2017 and 2018. In Alramla region in 2017, the concentration of Fe, Pb, Cu, Cd and Zn was 7.84±2.66, 0.94±0.34, 0.12±0.07, 0.24±0.07, 0.95±0.2 respectively; While in 2018 was 6.96±1.34, 1.48±0.11, 0.12±0.06, 0.32±0.13 and 2.63±1.32 µg/g. In Qaser Ahmed region in 2017 was 7.16±4.7, 0.93±0.14, 0.12±0.04, 0.14±0.03, 0.54±0.31 µg/g respectively. In addition, in 2018, it was 12.76±4.44, 1.37±0.75, 0.13±0.05, 0.29±0.05, 1.14±0.59 µg/g respectively. The temporal and spatial variation in concentration of Fe (p value=0.04, p-value=0.03 respectively), Pb (p-value=0.000, p-value=0.038), and Cd (p-value=0.000, p-value=0.02) was statistically significant. Otherwise, only the temporal variation in concentration of Zn was significant (p-value=0.000); While, both temporal and spatial variation in Cu concentration were not significant.