Metal levels in commercial pelagic fishes and their contribution to their exposure in Turkish people of the Black Sea

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Metal levels in commercial pelagic fishes and their contribution to their exposure in Turkish people of the Black Sea

Heavy metals naturally occur in marine environment and may enter in biota including fish as a result of anthropogenic activities such as industrial; urbanization and agricultural processes. The metals in fish as food are being particular concern in relation to harmful effects on public health. Four commercially important pelagic fish Sarda sarda; Pomatomus saltatrix; Trachurus mediterraneus and Engraulis encrasicolus were captured in four of the most important fishing municipalities in the southern Black Sea coasts; to determine the levels of heavy metals in the muscle and to evaluate the possible risk associated with their consumption. Fish samples were collected during the fishing season between September and December in 2015 from Igneada; Sinop; Samsun; and Trabzon ports of the southern Black Sea. Metals were determined by using ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometer). Concentrations in studied coasts gradually decreased from Igneada to Sinop; and then significantly increased at Samsun and Trabzon. According to the results; heavy metal concentrations in fish species tissues were well within the limits set by the FAO/WHO recommendations and showed that the fish from investigated region are safety for consumers.

Pollution is a global problem because toxicants such as metals result to bio-accumulation and bio-magnification issues in the food web. Heavy metals come into contact with ocean waters through effluent discharge and leeching of terrestrial wastes which become wash load discharge in rivers. Wash load effluents either retain themselves at the banks or move downstream into the oceans and become pollutants. Aquatic life residing at the river mouth has primary contact with wash loads after which are consumed by larger animals of the seas. Now, the movement of metals up the trophic levels results to accumulation problems if at all contaminated preys are consumed more than the metal depuration process

In the present study, arsenic, copper, zinc, mercury, iron, cadmium and lead concentrations in the dorsal muscle tissues of four species of fishes from the southern of the Black Sea during fishing season (September-December) in 2015 have been analyzed. According to the results, heavy metal concentrations in fish species tissues were quite below the maximum values set by the EU and TFC recommendations and showed that the fish from investigated region are safety for consumers. It is suggested that these pelagic fish from the Black Sea of Turkey did not pose any threat to consumer upon their consumption. It can be said that there is no metal accumulation risk if consumption of about 1-4 servings of these fish of the Black Sea per week.

With Regards,

Anna D Parker

Editorial Assistant

Journal of Fisheries Research

Email: fisheriesres@journalsoa.org