Investigation of heavy metal levels in economically important fish species captured from the Tuzla lagoon

Abstract

Two hundred fish samples were collected seasonally from November 2000 to December 2001 from the Tuzla Lagoon. Heavy metal (Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Fe) concentrations were measured in the muscle, gill, liver and gonad of three fish species ( Sparus aurata, Dicentrarchus labrax and Mugil cephalus). The concentrations of heavy metals were determined by using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (FLAAS) and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry (GFAAS) after wet digestion method. Our results indicated that all heavy metals were found the highest in muscle tissue in S. aurata. Although Cd and Zn were found in spring, Fe, Cu, and Pb were observed in winter. In addition, D. labrax and M. cephalus accumulated lowest heavy metals in muscle during this study. While the highest concentrations of Zn, Fe and Cu were measured in the liver of M. cephalus, the highest levels of Cd and Pb were determined in gill tissue of M. cephalus. However, in some seasons Zn, Cd and Pb concentrations in the muscle were higher than the maximum levels set by law. Especially, for each species in spring high levels of Zn were measured; for D. labrax and M. cephalus in spring and for S. aurata in winter high levels of Pb were measured; for S. aurata in spring and for M. cephalus in winter high levels of Cd were measured for human consumption.