Abstract
The present study aimed to assess the levels of 98 multi-class pharmaceuticals including cardiovascular drugs, antidepressants, hypnotics, antibiotics, and sulfonamides occurring in the muscle tissue of fish caught in the Baltic Sea. The following fish species were collected: perch (Perca fluviatilis); flounder (Platichthys flesus); turbot (Scophthalmus maximus); plaice (Pleuronectes platessa); cod (Gadus morhua callarias); bream (Abramis brama); crucian (Carassius carassius). Additionally, in the examined fish muscle the levels of heavy metals and trace elements were determined (As; Ag; Au; Ba; Cd; Co; Cr; Cu; Hg; Li; Mo; Ni; Pb; Sb; Se; Sn; Tl; V) as well as the levels of cholesterol and its 5 derivatives (7-ketocholesterol; 7α-hydroxycholesterol; 7β-hydroxycholesterol; 5β,6β-epoxy-cholesterol; 5α,6α-epoxycholesterol). In the performed studies 11 out of 98 examined pharmaceuticals were detected in fish muscle. The levels of pharmaceuticals in fish muscle varied depending on the species. In the tissues of bream and crucian, no pharmaceuticals were found. Mercury, lead and arsenic were detected in the muscles of all examined fish. Based on the hazard factor for Hg, Pb, Cd, Ni (target hazard quotient, THQ < 1), it was found that the consumption of the studied fish does not constitute a health risk. However, the THQ for As remained >1 indicated possible risk from those metals. In the examined fish muscle the total cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) level of oxysterols were, respectively: 6.90 (cod) μg/g–4.18 μg/g (perch), which corresponded to 0.7–1.5% of cholesterol. The main COPs evaluated were 7-ketocholesterol (0.78 ± 0.14–1.79 ± 0.06 μg/g), 7β-hydroxycholesterol (0.50 ± 0.04–3.20 ± 2.95 μg/g) and 5β,6β-epoxycholesterol (0.66 ± 0.03–1.53 ± 0.66 μg/g). The assessment of health hazards due to contaminations is necessary, which may help to introduce national legislation and global standards aimed at reducing or even eliminating the exposure to contaminants.
Highlights
It is known that fish and fish oils are a good source for the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
The aim of the present study was to assess the levels of 98 multi-class pharmaceuticals from different therapeutic classes including cardiovascular drugs, antidepressants, antibiotics, and sulfonamides in the muscle tissue of fish caught in the Baltic Sea
From the following therapeutical families were detected in fish muscle: antibiotics, sulfonamides, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, antiparasitics and cardiovascular drugs
Summary
Fish is regarded as an excellent source of high-quality protein, the essential amino acids lysine and methionine [1,2,3]. They comprise about 6 percent of dietary protein, yet it should be remembered that for some 3 billion people fish make up as much as 20 percent of the average per-capita intake of animal protein [4]. Replacement of other dietary animal products with fish in the diet may be cardioprotective due to the reduced saturated fatty acid and cholesterol content of these products as well as their high polyunsaturated fatty acid content as compared with other animal protein sources. All fish are a good source of B vitamins and, in the case of the fatty species of vitamins A and D [7]
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