Determination of Cu, Zn and Cd concentrations of mullet (Leuciscus cephalus) and perchs (Perca fluviatilis) hunted in Büyük Menderes delta and investigation of their relationship with metallothionein

Determination of Cu, Zn and Cd concentrations of mullet (Leuciscus cephalus) and perchs (Perca fluviatilis) hunted in Büyük Menderes Delta and investigation of their relationship with metallothionein In our study, liver and muscle samples of 15 pieces mullet and perchs fish hunted from Büyük Menderes Delta were solubilised in the microwave and Cu, Zn, Cd analyzes were performed by ICP-OES. Metallothionein levels in fish liver tissues were determined by ELISA method. Lower metal levels were determined in the edible partes (muscle) of these two fishes in comparison to the liver. The average heavy metal concentrations in mullet liver were 378,56±57,7 μg/kg for Cu, 527,60±91,46 μg/kg for Zn and 9,13±0,94 μg/kg for Cd. On the other hand heavy metal concentrations in the perch liver were 3485,20±543,80 μg/kg for Cu, 550,10±71,59 μg/kg for Zn and 8,22±1,21 μg/kg for Cd. The average heavy metal concentrations in mullet muscle were 25,21±3,20 μg/kg for Cu, 101,83±14,76 μg/kg for Zn and 6,07±0,90 μg/kg for Cd. On the other hand heavy metal concentrations in the perch muscle were 25,40±2,98 μg/kg for Cu, 71,07±12,96 μg/kg for Zn and 9,43±1,26 μg/kg for Cd. Obtained results compared with the literature and the Turkish Food Health Organisation announced that there is no risk on the tolerable limits of the heavy metal contamination for mullet and perchs hunted from Büyük Menderes Delta. Metallothionein concentrations in the liver were 115,62±571,51 mg/kg and 109,44±159,54 mg/kg in mullet and perchs respectively. There was not a statistical significance between the levels of heavy metals and metallothionein concentrations in tissues. Keywords: Mullet, perch, Cu, Zn, Cd, Büyük Menderes, metallothionein