Assessment of heavy metal accumulati̇on i̇n ti̇ssues of economi̇cally i̇mportant fi̇sh speci̇es from the Eastern Black Sea waters

This study assessed the heavy metal (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Ni and Zn) accumulation in muscles and livers of Mullus barbatus, Pomatomus saltatrix, Engraulis encrasicolus, Trachurus trachurus, Merlangius merlangus, Sarda sarda, Belone belone, Alosa Alosa, Mugil cephalus and Spicara smaris from the eastern Black Sea coast. Heavy metal levels in fish muscles in ppm were Cd: 0.04-0.76, Co: 0.01-0.32, Cr: 0.02-1.00, Cu: 0.28-3.78, Fe: 8.16-53.57, Mn: 0.06-0.68, Ni: 0.09-5.91, Pb: 0.02-4.87, Zn: 3.65-17.55; livers; Cd: 0.06-3.43, Co: 0.04-1.39, Cr: 0.16-1.31, Cu: 2.10-7.50, Fe: 74.8-339, Mn: 0.44-1.89, Ni: 0.25-6.89, Pb: 0.34-11.38 and Zn: 10.58-40.05. The levels of heavy metals were higher in livers than these in muscles. According to obtained results, may be said that consumption of the edible muscles tissues of fish by human is not a risk.