Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals in Freshwater Fish Species Retailed in Kayseri Region: Potential Public Health Hazard of Toxic Metals

Tokalıoğlu Ş., Gönülalan Z., Şimşek E., Ertaş Onmaz N., Yılmaz E.

Bozok Veterinary Sciences, ss.27-36, 2023 (Hakemli Dergi)

Özet

: In this study, it was aimed to investigate the heavy metal (Al, Ag, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se, V, Zn) accumulations in the muscles of freshwater fish retailed in the Kayseri region by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). For this purpose, a total of 91 edible freshwater fish, including 37 Cyprinus carpio, 27 Sander lucioperca, 6 Tinca tinca, 5 Esox lucius, 4 Squalius cephalus, 5 Copeata tinca, 3 Silurus glanis, and 4 Oncorhynchus mykiss species, were used. Statistical analyses such as principal component, cluster, and correlation analysis were done to evaluate the obtained data. The order of mean concentrations (mg kg-1 wet wt.) of metals in all fish meat samples were Al (204) > Zn (10.2) > Fe (6.43) > Cu (0.666) > Hg (0.589) > Ni (0.556) > Pb (0.497) > Cr (0.396) > Ag (0.291) >Se (0.144) > As (0.074) > Co (0.043) > Cd (0.037) >V (0.027). Hg, Cd, and Pb concentrations in some samples exceeded the permissible legal limits, whereas As concentrations was lower than maximum allowable limits. Ninety-one fish samples were categorized into five categories by principal component analysis (PCA) with Eigenvalues higher than 1.00. Cluster analysis results showed that the pollution with metal pairs analyzed might be from similar sources. In conclusion, in this study in some fish samples, the levels of some toxic elements (Hg, Cd, and Pb) were higher than permitted legal limits. Therefore, it could be suggested that the consumption of these fish might pose a hazard for public health.