Assessment of heavy metal concentrations in Scophthalmus maximus (Linnaeus, 1758) from the Black Sea coast: Implications for food safety and human health

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Hg, Pb, Cu, Zn, Fe) in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) samples collected from the Black Sea coast in 2022. The research involved analysing male and female turbot samples for their potential to accumulate these metals and assessing the associated health risks for different age groups (infants, children, adults). Metal analyses were conducted using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrophotometry (ICP-MS), and risk assessment was performed using the Hazard Quotient (THQ) and Risk Index (RI) methods.Results showed that the mean concentrations of heavy metals in both male and female turbots were consistently below the established safety limits set by national and international regulatory authorities. The Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) and THQ values for all metals were found to be well below the corresponding reference doses, indicating no significant noncarcinogenic health risks associated with turbot consumption. Furthermore, the RI values for metals with available Cancer Slope Factors (CSF) were extremely low, suggesting negligible carcinogenic risk from consuming turbot.