Journal of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences (Nov 2023)
Presence and Concentration of Heavy Elements in Highly Consumed Marine and Farmed Fish Species in Mazandaran Province, Iran
Abstract
Background and purpose: Heavy metals are among the pollutants that can cause destructive and fatal effects on marine organisms, including fish, in aquatic environments. This study aimed to determine and compare the concentration of heavy metals in the edible tissue of highly consumed farmed fishes (trout and carp) and marine fishes (carp, mullet, and whitefish) in Mazandaran province, Iran. Materials and methods: In this study, 10 farmed fishes of Rainbow trout and Carp and 20 marine fishes of Carp, Leaping mullet, and Rutilus kutum were purchased from several cities of Mazandaran province, including Sari, Farahabad, Babolsar, Fereydoun Kanar, and Mahmoud Abad from the fishmongers market in two seasons (spring and summer). In this study, the edible tissues were completely separated and homogenized by a meat grinder; then, the freeze-dried tissues were analyzed by an ICP-MS to identify heavy metal contents. Results: The average length and weight of the sampled marine fish species were 33.05±6.24 cm and 354.65±230.54 gr, respectively. Also, the length and weight of the farmed fish species were 33.45±10.30 cm and 586.45±501.32 gr, respectively. The results showed that the average concentration of most heavy metals in both farmed and marine species was within the permissible ranges, and only the average amount of zinc and manganese in both groups was reported higher than the maximum allowed permissible ranges. Spearman's statistical analysis showed no significant relationship between the metal concentration and the fish's length and weight (P<0.05, n=30 and rs=-0.219). Conclusion: This study revealed that although the concentrations of studied elements in sampled farmed and marine fishes were within the permissible range compared to Food and Drug Administration (FDA), World Health Organization (WHO), and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) standards, the average concentrations of Mn and Zn were higher than the mentioned standards.
