The factors affecting heavy metal levels in the muscle tissues of whiting (merlangius merlangus) and red mullet (mullus barbatus)

Abstract

This study aims to determine heavy metal accumulation levels in the muscles tissues of two economically most important demersal fish species in the Eastern Black Sea, Turkey, red mullet (Mullus barbatus) and whiting (Merlangius merlangus), and evaluate the effects of fish species, sampling locations, fishing season and size groups on heavy metal accumulation levels. Chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) concentrations in fish muscle samples were measured with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Co, Zn, As and Cd accumulation levels in both species differed significantly (P<0.05). The metal concentrations of muscle tissues of both species, in general, were higher during summer and autumn. In the study, the differences in concentrations levels of As and Pb in whiting, Co, Cu, and Pb in red mullet muscle tissues were significantly related to fishing locations. The results of metal concentrations were compared with various legal limits such as Turkish Food Codex (TFC 2011), European Communities Commission Regulation (EC 2006) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO 1983) and the obtained metal levels of fish muscle tissues of both species were found to be below the limit values which are a threat to human health.

Bio-concentration of Copper in the Oreochromis mossambicus and Safe Level of Consumption

“…However, the characteristics of pH, temperature and alkalinity did not affect the accumulation of Cu in the fish (Okpashi et al, 2018). Another research found that the order of heavy metals concentration in the fish muscle was Zn > As > Cu > Mn > Cr > Ni > Cd > Co >Pb (Alkan et al, 2016). Meanwhile, another research found that the concentration of metals in the fish muscle was in the following order: Fe > Zn > Cu > Mn > Pb > Cd (Miller, et al, 2013).…”

Health risk assessments of metals via consumption of Rapa whelk (Rapana venosa) from the Black Sea

“…The precise line between whether a metal should be considered beneficial or harmful is dependent on dose limits and exposure frequencies (Alkan et al 2016;Leonard et al 2022;Yildiz et al 2023 ). Trace elements such as copper, manganese, zinc, iron are essential for the metabolic activities in humans and other living organisms, which however can be toxic and cause severe damage at high levels of bioaccumulation in tissues (Çağlak & Karsli 2014;Makedonski et al 2017).…”