Levels of Heavy Metals in Some Commercial Fish Species Captured from the Black Sea and Mediterranean Coast of Turkey

Abstract

The distribution of some heavy metals in the muscle tissue of Merlangius merlangus (whiting), Mullus barbatus (red mullet), Engraulis encrasicholus (anchovy) from Black and Mediterranean Seas were studied. The highest Al (95.313 mu g/g dw), Mn (1.390 mu g/g dw), Zn (25.416 mu g/g dw) concentration was detected in E. encrasicholus from Black Sea; the highest Li (3.200 mu g/g dw) concentration was detected in E. encrasicholus from Mediterranean Sea; the highest Cd (1.685 mu g/g dw) concentration was detected in M. merlangus from Mediterranean Sea; the highest Ni (1.363 mu g/g dw) concentration was detected in M. merlangus from Black Sea; the highest Pb (0.727 mu g/g dw) concentration was detected in M. barbatus from Black Sea and the highest Cr (1.893 mu g/g dw), Fe (21.901 mu g/g dw) concentration was detected in M. barbatus from Mediterranean Sea.