Heavy metals accumulation in muscles of Psettodes erumei in Boushehr waters

Abstract

Heavy metals may accumulate in aquatic animals’ organs and tissues such as liver, kidney, gills and muscles. As fish muscle palys a role in human nutrition, its health is important. The risk of heavy metal toxicities differs in each water resource and animal species. Toxicity of these metals is higher in soft waters compared to hard waters.In the present study, 44 specimens of Psettodes erumei were randomly collected from Boushehr’s waters. Then 100 grams of pectoral muscle of each fish were dissected and prepared for atomic absorption measurement. The amounts of four heavy metals including Lead, Cadmium, Zinc and Chromium were measured as microgram per kilogram (ppb).In the present study, the maximum amount of measured heavy metals was belonged to Zinc (138.5 ppb) and the minimum to Chromium (30 ppb). The highest / lowest levels of each metals in fish muscles were as follow: Lead 0.124 / 0.037, Cadmium 0.090 / 0.019, Zinc 0.208 / 0.034 and Chromium 0.054 / 0.013 ppm and all were in safe range of World Health Organization limits.

Keywords

• psettodes erumei
• heavy metals
• fish muscle
• food hygiene