Published in Scientific Papers. Series D. Animal Science, Vol. LXVIII, Issue 2
Written by Violina ANGELOVA
Consumption of fish contaminated with heavy metals poses a significant risk to human health, particularly with prolonged intake. This study investigates the concentrations of heavy metals in fish caught from the Black Sea and evaluates the associated health risks. The content of toxic metals and trace elements was determined in the muscle tissue of 15 different Black Sea fish species. The highest concentrations of specific metals were observed in the following species Pb in piked dogfish; Cd in European sprat; Zn in European sprat and Mediterranean horse mackerel; Cu in leaping mullet; Fe in European sprat and Atlantic bonito; Mn and Al in European sprat; Cr in Atlantic bonito; Ni in Atlantic bonito and bluefish; As in round goby; and Hg in bluefish and piked dogfish. In general, metal concentrations in muscle tissue were below the maximum permissible limits established by EU Commission Regulation, except for cadmium in Mediterranean horse mackerel. A human health risk assessment was conducted using target hazard quotients (THQ) and the hazard index (HI). The HI values were below 1 for all species, except for mercury in piked dogfish, indicating no significant health risk from consumption of these fish under typical dietary exposure.
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