Evaluation of the heavy metals (mercury, lead, and cadmium) contamination of sardine (Sardina pilchardus) and swordfish (Xiphias gladius) fished in three Algerian coasts.

Fetta Mehouel,Leila Bouayad,Ouarda Ayadi,Abdel Hamid Hammoudi,Fifi Regad

doi:10.14202/vetworld.2019.7-11

Fetta Mehouel, Leila Bouayad + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2019.7-11

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Abstract

Aim:This study aimed to evaluate mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) levels in 70 samples of sardine (Sardina pilchardus) and 30 samples of swordfish (Xiphias gladius) fished in the Algerian coasts.Materials and Methods:After the mineralization of the fish samples through the pressure digestion, the analyses were carried out by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy.Results:Mean concentrations of Hg, Cd, and Pb in sardine were 0.62, 0.55, and 2.13 mg/kg wet weight, respectively, while in swordfish, the concentrations were 0.56, 0.57, and 3.9 mg/kg wet weight, respectively. These results exceeded the Algerian and European legislation threshold values, whereas Hg’s concentration in swordfish remained close to and did not exceed the recommended thresholds (0.56 mg/kg wet weight).Conclusion:This fish may represent a hazard for consumers in Algeria. Systematic and periodic controls of heavy metals in fish are recommended, and risk assessment is needed to protect the consumer.

Highlights

Fish have been acknowledged as an integral component of a well-balanced diet, providing a healthy source of energy, high-quality proteins, vitamins, and a wide range of other important nutrients [1]
We evaluated heavy metals conta mination levels (Hg, Pb, and Cd) in sardine (S. pilchardus) and swordfish (Xiphias gladius) fished in Algerian (Centre and east and west Algerian) coasts, and we appreciate the distribution of the concentrations of these contaminants in the three studied areas
The determination of the different heavy metals concentrations in the flesh of the two species showed a dominant Pb contamination compared to the two other metals with a higher concentration in swordfish than in the sardine (3.90±2.79 and 2.13±1.12), respectively (Table-2)

Summary

Introduction

Fish have been acknowledged as an integral component of a well-balanced diet, providing a healthy source of energy, high-quality proteins, vitamins, and a wide range of other important nutrients [1]. Heavy metals discharged into the aquatic environment from different natural and human activities sources, including industrial or domestic wastewater, application of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers, leaching from landfills, shipping and harbor activities, atmospheric deposits, and geological weathering of the earth crust [2], can damage fish species diversity as well as ecosystems, due to their long persistence, ability to bioaccumulation, and toxicity [3]. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated

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