Heavy Metals in Liver and Muscle of Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) Caught in the Straits of Messina (Sicily, Italy)

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out on the bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) collected during the month of April 2003 from the Straits of Messina. The aim of this study is to determine heavy metal levels (Cd, Cu, Hg, Mn, Pb and Zn) in liver and muscle tissues of 14 Thunnus thynnus of different age and sex and to investigate the relationships between fish sex and size (length and weight) and metal concentrations in the tissues. The concentrations of the various metals were determined by a Varian atomic absorption spectroscopy instrument. The results show significant variations (p < 0.01) for Hg and Zn concentrations in muscle than in liver samples. Concentrations of Cd and Pb are below the instrumental detection limits in almost all muscle samples. Levels of Hg (3.03 +/- 0.55 microg/g) are above the MRLs only in muscle (1 microg/g) establishing toxicological risks for the consumer. Regression analysis shows a negative correlation between mercury level and weight and length in samples from both female and male. No significant difference between mean heavy metals concentrations and male or female tuna is seen. For greater food safety, it would be advisable to reduce the mercury intake by selecting safer fish, species and size and by the avoidance of tuna fish consumption by pregnant women, young children and old people, who are more sensitive to mercury exposure.

Doğa ve Çiftlik Orkinoslarında (Thunnus thynnus L1758) Tespit Edilen Bazı Elementlerin Kemometrik Sınıfl andırması

“…In this study, the accumulation of the some elements in diff erent parts of both wild and farmed the BFT was evaluated. The levels obtained were similar to those found by other authors 2,9,[11][12][13][14]18 .…”

Bioaccumulation of trace elements in pelagic fish from the Western Indian Ocean

“…Yet, dominating Hg levels in muscle, as it was noted for Common Dolfinfish of the Mozambique Channel, have also been observed in Bluefin Tunas fished in the Messina straits (Licata et al, 2005), and in benthic fish caught around the Kerguelen Islands (Bustamante et al, 2003). Moreover, elemental turnover rates are, as a general rule, higher in liver and kidney than in muscle.…”

“…Mackay et al, 1975;Jaffar and Ashraf, 1988;Canli and Atli, 2003;Bustamante et al, 2003;Storelli et al, 2005;Licata et al, 2005). Interestingly the accumulation pattern of Cd in fish differs from that of other vertebrates such as birds, mammals and turtles in which kidney is the target tissue for Cd (e.g.…”

Searching Relationships between Tissue Elemental Concentrations and Geographical Distribution of Bigeye Tuna(Thunnus Obesus) from the South Atlantic Ocean

“…Figure 2 showed that partitioning among tissues varied with the studied elements. Mackay et al, 1975;Canli and Atli, 2003;Deheyn et al, 2005;Licata et al, 2005). The organotropism is most likely related to tissue function and element affinity to certain proteins such as metallothioneins (MTs), besides the availability of elements in water and food (Hamilton and Mehrle, 1986;Roesijadi, 1992;De Smet et al, 2001;Atli and Canli, 2003).…”