Abstract

The coast of Aden is one of the most important Yemeni coasts in catching and exporting fish, molluscs and other marine products to the governorates of the Republic. Accordingly, pollution of these coasts and their consequent negative impact directly or indirectly on aquatic life and the marine environment will be reflected on humans feeding on organisms contaminated with heavy metals or across the food chain. Four sites in Aden coasts, Saira Island, Laborers Island, Al-Hiswah, and Fuqum, known for catching fish and molluscs, were selected to take samples. The samples collected, during winter and summer, were Perna perna, Barbatia decussata, Saccostrea cuccullata. The average concentration of the two seasons was taken. The results showed that the concentrations ranges of heavy metals were: Cd 0.98- 11.05, Cr 2.9 - 18.05, Cu10.7 - 296.05, Fe 106.75 - 688.55, Mn 6.19 - 30.11, Zn 78.7 - 741.5µg/g. When comparing the concentration of heavy metals in molluscs with WHO Standards, the concentration of cadmium, iron, manganese, zinc were higher than the permissible limit. Heavy metals were arranged according to the value of concentration accumulation as: Fe> Zn> Cu> Mn> Cr> Cd,
whereas they were arranged according to the percentage of accumulation as: Zn> Cu> Cd > Cr > Fe > Mn.