Assessment of heavy metals/metalloid (As, Pb, Cd, Ni, Zn, Cr, Cu, Mn) concentrations in edible fish species tissue in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), China

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 78; no. 1-2; pp. 235 - 245
• Main Authors: Leung, H.M., Leung, A.O.W., Wang, H.S., Ma, K.K., Liang, Y., Ho, K.C., Cheung, K.C., Tohidi, F., Yung, K.K.L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 15.01.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Aristichthys nobilis; Biological and medical sciences; Channa; China; Clarias fuscus; Ctenopharyngodon idella; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental Exposure - analysis; Environmental Exposure - statistics & numerical data; Environmental Monitoring; Epinephelus coioides; Fish; Fish muscle; Fishes - metabolism; Food Contamination - statistics & numerical data; Fresh water ecosystems; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heavy metals; Humans; Lutjanus; Lutjanus griseus; Marine and brackish environment; Metalloid; Metals, Heavy - metabolism; Micropterus salmoides; Oreochromis mossambicus; Pearl River Delta; Rivers - chemistry; Sea water ecosystems; Seafood - statistics & numerical data; Siniperca kneri; Synecology; Trachinotus blochii; Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism; Asia; China; China, People's Rep., Zhu R; China, People's Rep; Fish; Metalloid; Pearl River Delta; Heavy metals; Fish muscle; Edible fish; Edible species; Heavy metal; Freshwater environment; Concentration measurement; Marine environment; Delta; Chromium; Lead; Stream; Muscle
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.10.028

•711 Fish individuals were collected for the analyses of heavy metals.•Nickel (Ni) in mandarin fish was significantly higher than other fish species.•High lead (Pb) concentration was found in tilapia in all locations. The major aim of this study was to investigate heavy metal content of edible fish in the PRD. Eleven species of fish (consisting of 711 individuals) [catfish (Clarias fuscus), tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus), bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis), mandarin fish (Siniperca kneri), snakehead (Channa asiatiea), black bass (Micropterus salmoides), mangrove snapper (Lutjanus griseus), star snapper (Lutjanu stellatus), snubnose pompano (Trachinotus blochii) and orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides)] were collected for the analyses of heavy metals. Overall concentrations (mg/kg, ww) in the fish muscles were: As (0.03–1.53), Pb (0.03–8.62), Cd (0.02–0.06), Ni (0.44–9.75), Zn (15.7–29.5), Cr (0.22–0.65), Cu (0.79–2.26), Mn (0.82–6.91). Significant level of Pb were found in tilapia at all locations. It is recommended that heavy metal concentrations in different fish species must be determined on a regular basis in the future so as to reduce human health risks from acute and chronic food intoxication.