Environmental Assessment of Trace Metal Levels in Echinoderms During Hab's in Kuwait, Arabian Gulf

A. H. Bu-Olayan and B. V. Thomas*

Department of Chemistry, POB 5969, Kuwait University, 13060 (Kuwait)

Echinoderms sampled from five marine sits of Kuwait showed high trace metal levels (Zn, Fe, Cu, Ni, and Pb) during harmful algal blooms (HAB) in sea cucumber (0.5-7.20 μg/g)>sea star (0.44-7.19 μg/g)>brittle star (0.36-6.71 μg/g) when compared to their metal levels during Non-HAB's (0.41-6.76 μg/g, 0.39-6.71 μg/g and 0.23-6.19 μg/g respectively). Site-wise metal levels were found high in Kubbar Is. (4.01/3.68 μg/g) > Quaro Is. (3.16/3.09 μg/g) >Umm-al-Maradeem Is. (3.07/2.97 μg/g) > Salmiya (2.97/2.51 μg/g)> Umm-al-Nammil Is. (2.80/2.16 μg/g). Species abundance were in the sequence of brittle star>sea star> sea cucumber irrespective of HAB's or non-HAB's. Site-wise abundance were observed in the sequence of Umm-al-Maradeem Is. (9.0-21.0 m-2) > Quaro Is. (8.0-18.0 m-2) > Kubbar Is. (6.0-14.0 m-2)> Umm-al-Nammil Is. (2.0-6.0 m-2) > Salmiya (2.0-4.0 m-2). Statistically, high trace metal levels correlated low species densities during the HAB's and the reverse during non-HAB and thus labelled the above three echinoderms as indicator species to HAB's in Kuwait.

Echinoderms; trace metals; HAB's; Kuwait