Heavy Metals in Seafood Mussels. Risks for Human Health

Abstract

Life on earth is threatened both by environmental pollution and overpopulation. Natural phenomena contributing to pollution have always existed but anthropogenic activities are increasing contamination of air, soil and water. Waters are especially polluted by metals. The main threats to life from toxic metals are associated with exposure to Pb, Cd, Hg and As, which accumulate in organisms. Overpopulation means more food is required but the amount of arable land is declining due to human requirements. One way of overcoming these consequences of overpopulation is to exploit seas and oceans. Thus, the consumption of seafood has increased in recent years, especially in coastal regions. However, as many traditional fishing grounds have been over-fished, aquaculture seems a viable solution to these problems. Marine mussels are an excellent candidate for aquaculture. However mussels accumulate a wide range of metals in their soft tissue. Thus, the determination of the concentrations of potentially toxic substances in mussels is essential because of their usage as seafood and the potential adverse effects of their consumption on human health. Moreover, as contamination by metal pollutants continues and is even increasing in some parts of the world, particularly in less developed countries, it is also important to determine the level of pollution in the marine environment, especially in regions where aquaculture is foreseen and where the local population consumes large amounts of mussels.