Elemental analysis of mussels and possible health risks arising from their consumption as a food: The case of Boka Kotorska Bay, Adriatic Sea

The characterization and pollution status of the surface sediment in the Boka Kotorska Bay, Montenegro

Surface sediments collected from twelve stations in the Boka Kotorska Bay were analyzed for the level and distribution of twenty-six elements and ten oxides, grain sizes, organic matter, and carbonate content. Potentially toxic elements (Al, Fe, Mn, Cr, Zn, Ni, Cu, Pb, As, Co, U) were determined to assess the contamination status and potential environmental risk according to the single-element indices (enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (Igeo), contamination factor (CF)), and combined index (pollution load index (PLI)). The single-element indices EF and CF revealed that the surface marine sediment was moderately polluted with Pb, Cu, and Cr, while Igeo indicated moderate pollution with Ni > Cr > Zn > Cu > As and moderate to heavy pollution with Pb, as a result of the anthropogenic factors. The method of the combined effect of toxic elements, PLI, showed the highest pollution rate at the shipyard location in the Bay of Tivat. Pearson's correlation coefficient (r), principal component analysis (PCA), and cluster analysis (CA) were applied to highlight similarities and differences in the distribution of the investigated elements in the Bay, confirming the claim obtained by the pollution indices. The sediment contamination with most heavy metals, such as Cr, Zn, Ni, Cu, Pb, and As, has been identified in the Tivat Bay area.

The fate of the main naturally occurring radionuclides in mussels (Mytilus edulis) and their radiological impact on human beings

A comprehensive study was made on the activity concentrations, concentration factors, and radiation exposure impact of the main naturally occurring radionuclides in blue mussels collected in the Mediterranean Sea. The results showed that the concentrations of the measured radionuclides were site-specific and all detectable in gram-size samples of the soft tissues of the mussels, especially, some activity concentrations can reach as high as 16.8-102 Bq kg^-1 for ²¹⁰Po, 16.7-66.8 Bq kg^-1 for ⁴⁰K and 0.602-3.21 Bq kg^-1 for ²¹⁰Pb. The obtained mean concentration factors in the soft tissues of the mussel samples are 6.30 ± 2.40 for ²³⁸U and ²³⁴U, 4.68 ± 1.73 for ²³⁵U, (2.72 ± 1.73) × 10⁴ for ²³²Th and ²³⁰Th, 480 ± 265 for ²²⁸Th, 33.3 ± 13.3 for ²²⁶Ra, 100 ± 52 for ²²⁴Ra and 29.0 ± 14.7 for ²²⁸Ra, (1.22 ± 0.72) × 10⁴ for ²¹⁰Po, 517 ± 280 for ²¹⁰Pb and 2.57 ± 0.80 for ⁴⁰K. The estimated mean committed effective doses of ²³⁸U, ²³⁴U, ²³⁵U, ²³²Th, ²³⁰Th, ²²⁸Th, ²²⁶Ra, ²²⁴Ra, ²²⁸Ra, ²¹⁰Po, ²¹⁰Pb and ⁴⁰K to an adult due to mussel ingestion are 0.073 ± 0.027, 0.089 ± 0.035, 0.0030 ± 0.0011, 0.128 ± 0.098, 0.117 ± 0.081, 0.056 ± 0.031, 0.145 ± 0.058, 0.0487 ± 0.0250, 0.395 ± 0.200, 352 ± 209, 6.00 ± 3.25 and 1.74 ± 0.54 μSv a^-1, respectively. Among the elements or nuclides, ²¹⁰Po is the dominant dose contributor which contributes 96.9% of total dose fraction, and the relative dose contribution is in the order of ²¹⁰Po > ²¹⁰Pb > ⁴⁰K > radium ≥ thorium ≥ uranium.

Assessing chemical contamination in the coastal waters of the Adriatic Sea using active mussel biomonitoring with Mytilus galloprovincialis

The MYTIAD project focused on the assessment of chemical contamination (metals, PAHs, PCBs and organochlorine pesticides) in the Adriatic coastal waters by active mussel watching. Its purpose was harmonising and standardising strategies and methodologies used to assess the contamination status of the Adriatic Sea, in the framework of the WFD, the MSFD and UNEP/MAP Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme. Data on metals pointed out some hotspots along the eastern and western Adriatic Sea coasts, with the highest values of total PAH concentration detected in Split, Trieste, and Taranto (Ionian Sea). PCB and endrin contamination was higher in the Adriatic Sea than in the western Mediterranean Sea. This is the first comprehensive overview of contamination in the Adriatic Sea with critical comparisons of related studies over the Mediterranean Sea. It provides a useful harmonised dataset to support a coordinated definition of baselines, targets and thresholds, and further management of chemical contamination.

Partial least squares modelization of energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence

As a proof of concept, a green methodology has been developed for the energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) determination of calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, aluminum, chromium, strontium, phosphorus and nickel in the peel of untreated kaki fruit (Diospyros kaki. L) samples. ED-XRF spectra of fifty-six kakis purchased in the local area of LLombay (Valencia) were obtained directly from samples without any previous treatment and without sample damage just after cleaning the fruit with distilled water. Inductively Couple Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) was used as a reference method to determine the mineral elements after microwave assisted acid digestion. XRF spectra and concentration values obtained by ICP-OES were processed using partial least squares (PLS) data treatment to build the corresponding chemometric models for prediction of mineral profile of samples. PLS-ED-XRF permits a direct and accurate determination of Ca and K in kaki peel. For Al, Fe, Mg, Ni and Sr screening semiquantitative results were obtained. Concentrations obtained directly by the internal calibration of instrument, using GeoChem Trace model, were also compared with data predicted by chemometric models being found that PLS models must replace the calibration of the instrument for thus kind of analysis.

Human exposure to trace elements via consumption of mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis from Boka Kotorska Bay, Montenegro

In order to assess human health risks via consumption of potentially toxic mussels, the concentrations of Al, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, Zn and Hg were studied in Mytilus galloprovincialis collected from the coastal area of Montenegro. By two approaches for the human health risk assessment (HHRA), considering oral reference doses by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and provisional tolerable intakes by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), it has been revealed that despite the fact that trace element levels do not exceed the defined limits for mussels, they can be limiting factors for the mussel consumption. Specifically, it was noticed that the levels of Co, Pb, Cd and Li could be the limiting factors for the consumption of mussels from this coastal area. Al and Li data obtained in this study are especially important since these two elements have not been previously studied in M. galloprovincialis. Furthermore, taking into account the significant differences in concentrations of elements in different seasons, the study confirmed the starting assumption that in the calculations for the HHRA the average concentrations of elements in samples taken in different seasons during a longer period should be used.

Determination of trace metals in Mytilus galloprovincialis along the Boka Kotorska Bay, Montenegrin coast

The concentrations of six trace metals, cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and mercury (Hg) were determined in the soft tissues of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis and bottom sediments collected from the coastal area of Boka Kotorska Bay (Montenegrin coast). The mussels and sediment samples were collected at three sites along the Boka Kotorska Bay from the autumn of 2014 to the winter of 2016. The concentrations (mg/kg dw) of these metals in the mussel samples ranged from 1.01 to 2.87 for Cd, 6.08 to 13.2 for Cu, 1.37 to 3.55 for Pb, 85.6 to 241 for Zn, 0.72 to 4.05 for Cr and 0.098 to 0.269 for Hg. The concentrations (mg/kg dw) of these metals in the sediment samples ranged from 0.16 to 0.39 for Cd, 4.32 to 48.2 for Cu, 7.02 to 49.8 for Pb, 22.0 to 158 for Zn, 93.1 to 317 for Cr and 0.035 to 0.497 for Hg. The metal content in the mussel samples and the metal content in the sediment collected from three locations over four different seasons were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) and cluster analysis (CA). A correlation between the metal levels found in the mussel soft tissues with those found in the sediments, for both 2014 and 2015, were established. The metal pollution indexes (MPI) for the sediment and mussels were compared, indicating that the most polluted sediment was at the location Institute of Marine Biology Kotor (IBMK) and the most polluted mussels were sampled from the Zanjice location.

The impacts of seawater physicochemical parameters and sediment metal contents on trace metal concentrations in mussels-a chemometric approach

The concentrations of Al, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, Zn, and Hg were studied in Mytilus galloprovincialis collected from the coastal area of Montenegro. The impact of seawater temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, total organic carbon (TOC), and metal content in sediment samples on the metal contents in mussels collected from three locations in four different seasons was analyzed by a Pearson correlation coefficient (r), principal component analysis (PCA), and cluster analysis (CA). These analyses were used to discriminate groups of samples, elements, and seawater parameters, according to similarity of samples chemical composition in different seasons, as well as the impact of seawater parameters and surface sediment composition on the mussels' element concentrations. Synergistic interactions occurred between seawater TOC, Fe, and Al concentrations in mussels. Compared with other studies, which are usually performed under constant laboratory conditions where mussels undergo only one stress at a time, this study was performed in nature. The analyses showed the importance of considering simultaneously acting environmental parameters that make determining of separate impacts of each factor selected very difficult and complex.

Distribution of As, Cd, and Pb in seafood in Southern China and their oral bioavailability in mice

The distribution of the toxic elements As, Cd, and Pb in nine different types of seafood from Shenzhen, China, was investigated by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results revealed that the concentrations of arsenic (As) in fish (Lutjanus erythropterus, Paralichthys olivaceus) and in bivalve (Meretrix meretrix) and cadmium (Cd) in scallop (Argopecten irradians) exceed the limits established by food safety regulations in China and EU (European Union). Furthermore, the bioavailability of As, Cd, and lead (Pb) in mice after 20-day oral ingestion of Crassostrea rivularis was investigated, and the total rate of absorption of toxic elements in samples from the liver and kidney tissues and blood was determined. The results of this in vivo trial indicated that the oral bioavailability of As, Cd, and Pb was approximately 0.33, 0.45, and 0.74%, respectively.