Cadmium, Copper, Lead, and Zinc Contents of Fish Marketed in NW Mexico

Abstract

To assess if they were within the safety limits for human consumption, the Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn contents of fish muscles, bought from separate stalls of the fish markets of nine cities of NW Mexico, were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Considering all fish and markets, the mean contents were Zn: 23.23 ± 5.83, Cu: 1.72 ± 0.63, Cd: 0.27 ± 0.07, and Pb: 0.09 ± 0.04 µg/g (dry weight). Cu, Zn, and Pb did not reach levels of concern for human consumption, but the high Cd values determined in Mazatlán (Mugil cephalus: 0.48 ± 0.15; Diapterus spp.: 0.57 ± 0.33; Lutjanus spp.: 0.72 ± 0.12; small shark: 0.87 ± 0.19 µg/g dry weight) indicate that this was the only metal of concern for human health because the daily individual consumption of fish muscle to reach the PTDI would be within 0.27 and 0.41 kg.

Lead, cadmium and mercury in the blood of the blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) from the coast of Sinaloa, Gulf of California, Mexico

“…and Lutjanus spp. ; Frías-Espericueta et al, 2014), sharks (Sphyrna lewini and Carcharhinus leucas, RuelasInzunza and Páez-Osuna, 2007), and oysters (C. corteziensis and C. palmula, Páez-Osuna and Osuna-Martínez, 2015) reaching levels greater than the maximum permissible limits in some species (Frías-Espericueta et al, 2014;Ruelas-Inzunza and Páez-Osuna, 2007). It is possible that these elements are absent or occurring at low concentrations in the prey that the Blue-footed Booby consumes (mainly Pacific anchovy and common halfbeak), or are efficiently transported toward target tissues where they are stored and are not free to circulate in blood (Becker et al, 2003;Carravieri et al, 2014).…”

“…In the Gulf of California, agriculture, aquaculture, mining, and harbor activities result in the transport of materials from the watershed to coastal areas (Frías-Espericueta et al, 2014;Montaño-Ley and Paéz-Osuna, 2012;Páez-Osuna and Osuna-Martínez, 2015;Ruiz-Fernández et al, 2009). In Sinaloa, the occurrence of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg) has been reported in coastal organisms (Frías-Espericueta et al, 2014;Ruelas-Inzunza and Páez-Osuna, 2007;Ruelas-Inzunza et al, 2011). In particular, concentrations of Pb, Cd and Hg in some fish are above the limits considered as safe for human consumption (Ruelas-Inzunza and Páez-Osuna, 2007;Ruelas-Inzunza et al, 2011).…”

Evaluation of a biocoagulant from devilfish invasive species for the removal of contaminants in ceramic industry wastewater

“…Agriculture, mining, and food processing are the main industrial activities in Mexico, and their wastewater may increase the level of coastal contamination to be discharged without previous treatment. Some studies have reported high cadmium and lead concentrations in commercially important aquatic organisms of the coastal zone of Mexico 41 , 42 . If devilfish has contact with this contaminated water, it is exposed to the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in its body.…”

Conservation and health policy implications linked to the human consumption of sea turtles in northwestern Mexico

“…Odds ratios examining sociodemographic, dietary, and other potential predictors of high levels of heavy metals in hair were calculated in IBM SPSS (v.27) using logistic regression models. Backward stepwise multiple logistic regression was used to examine the associations between sea turtle consumption and high levels of heavy metals in hair after statistically adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and consumption of fish like marlin and shark that bioaccumulate heavy metals (Frías‐Espericueta et al, 2014; Jakimska et al, 2011; Soto‐Jiménez et al, 2010). Because the percentage of participants with high levels of heavy metals in their hair was much higher than we anticipated in our sample size calculations before data collection, we used R (v. 4.1.0) to calculate the statistical power for a binomial distribution with continuity correction for our simple logistic regression models.…”