Mineral element contents in commercially valuable fish species in Spain

Ontogenic and seasonal variations of metal content in a small pelagic fish (Trachurus picturatus) in northwestern African waters

Marine organisms are exposed to great changes induced by human beings due, among others, to discharges into the oceans, increasing marine pollution. For this study, 294 specimens of Trachurus picturatus from the Canary Islands were analyzed during a period of 2 years. The concentration of 11 anthropic metals and trace elements was determined in each individual using the Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) technique. Statistical analyses were carried out considering the following factors: oceanographic season, maturity of the gonads, size of the specimens, season. Immature specimens had higher concentration in more metals than the mature specimens. This fact may be due to the fact that these specimens require a much higher metabolic rate due to their growth and do not detoxify like mature specimens.

Adipose tissue concentrations of arsenic, nickel, lead, tin, and titanium in adults from GraMo cohort in Southern Spain: An exploratory study

BACKGROUND

Adipose tissue has been acknowledged as a potential target for obesogenic pollutants, including toxic metal(loid)s. However, the presence of these chemicals in the adipose tissue has been poorly characterized.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the distributions of adipose tissue concentrations of five toxic metal(loid)s (i.e., arsenic [As], nickel [Ni], lead [Pb], tin [Sn], and titanium [Ti]) in adults, and potential socio-demographic and lifestyle factors associated with metal(loid) concentrations.

METHODS

The study population consisted of a subsample of 228 subjects from GraMo cohort in Southern Spain (N = 387). Adipose tissue samples were intra-operatively collected from adults recruited in 2003-2004 in two public hospitals, and concentrations of metal(loid)s in adipose tissue were analyzed in 2015 by High-Resolution Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Data on socio-demographic and lifestyle factors were obtained by baseline questionnaire completion. Linear and multinomial regression was used to identify factors associated with metal(loid) levels.

RESULTS

Ni, Pb, Sn, and Ti were detected in all adipose tissue samples, and As in 51% of them. Ni was the metal showing the highest median concentration (0.56 μg/g), followed by Ti (0.31 μg/g), Pb (0.08 μg/g), Sn (0.06 μg/g), and As (0.003 μg/g). Predictors of As levels included area of residence, social class, and oily fish intake; for Ni: area of residence and consumption of cheese, meat, eggs, and canned food; for Pb: vegetables intake and industrial occupation; for Sn: age, body mass index, and consumption of lean fish, eggs, and milk; and cheese intake for Ti. Some of these predictors were sex-specific, particularly those regarding dietary intake.

CONCLUSIONS

This exploratory study provides the first evidence of the occurrence of Ni, Pb, Sn, Ti, and As in adipose tissue from adult population, and highlights the potential of this tissue as a biological matrix for studying exposure levels and chronic health effects of toxic metal(loid)s.

Evaluation of Nutritional and Mineral-Heavy Metal Contents of Horse Mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) in the Middle Black Sea in terms of Human Health

In this study, the effects of seasonal and sexual differences on the nutritional composition, macro (Na, Mg, P, K, Ca), trace element (Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Mo, Ni, Se) and potential toxic metal levels (Cd, Pb, As) of horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) caught in the middle Black Sea coast during all seasons were investigated. The metal levels of muscle tissues of the examined specimens were determined using ICP-MS instrument. The results showed that horse mackerel had a high nutritional value in terms of protein and lipid levels. Metal levels were found to be different in terms of sexual and seasonal factors. With regard to macro element levels, horse mackerel muscle was found to be rich. Zn and Cu levels of the trace elements were below the legal limits specified by the codex. It was also observed that the levels of Cd and Pb in horse mackerel muscle tissue were below the FAO (Food Agriculture Organ U N 464:5-10, 1983) limit values and above the TFC (Turkish Food Codex 2011) limit values. In terms of EWI and EDI values, horse mackerel was found to be non-toxic. This study suggests that horse mackerel is beneficial seafood for human health and nutrition.

Quantitative Determination of Heavy Metal Contamination in Horse Mackerel and Whiting Caught in the Sea of Marmara

In this study, the concentrations of lead, cadmium and manganese were determined in horse mackerel (Trachurus mediterraneus) and whiting (Merlangius merlangus euxinus) that were caught in the Sea of Marmara. These are commonly consumed fish species in this region. Fish were provided by a fishermen quarterly between March 2013 and December 2013 and, separated according to size (small, medium and large). Pb(II), Cd(II) and Mn(II) levels were determined using the wet digestion method by Graphite furnace atomic atomic absorption spectrophotometer. According to this study, for horse mackerel, the highest concentration of lead, cadmium, and manganese was 6.69 µg kg^-1 (September), 5.24 µg kg^-1 (March) and 9.24 µg kg^-1 (June), respectively. For whiting, the highest concentration of lead, cadmium, and manganese was 2.25 µg kg^-1 (June), 0.263 µg kg^-1 (September) and 10.4 µg kg^-1 (June), respectively. These heavy metal levels in fish were found to be acceptable for human consumption according to World Health Organization border values.

Changes in Nutrient Profile and Antioxidant Activities of Different Fish Soups, Before and After Simulated Gastrointestinal Digestion

Different kinds of freshwater fish soups show a diverse range of health functions, due to their different nutritional substances and corresponding bioactivities. In the current study, in order to learn the theoretical basis of the potential role fish soup plays in diet therapy functions, the changes of nutrient profiles and antioxidant activities in crucian carp soup and snakehead soup (before and after simulated gastrointestinal digestion) were investigated, such as chemical composition, free amino acids, mineral and fatty acid contents, DPPH radical scavenging activity, ferrous ion chelating activity, hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity and the reducing power effect. Results show that the content of mineral elements in snakehead fish soup was significantly higher than that of crucian carp soup, especially for the contents of Ca, Zn, Fe. The content of total amino acid (TAA) of crucian carp soup (82.51 mg/100 mL) was much higher than that of snakehead fish soup (47.54 mg/100 mL) (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the antioxidant capacity of crucian carp soup was stronger than that of snakehead soup. The intensive profiles of nutritional composition and antioxidant activities of these two kinds of fish soups were expected to partly provide the theoretical basis of therapeutic effects.

A Limited Survey of Metal Content in Blue Jack Mackerel ( Trachurus picturatus) Obtained from Markets in the Canary Islands

The levels of 20 metals (aluminum, boron, barium, calcium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, potassium, lithium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, sodium, nickel, lead, strontium, vanadium, and zinc) were analyzed in muscle and liver tissue of Trachurus picturatus marketed in the Canary Islands (Spain) by using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. In the liver samples, the mean concentrations in milligrams per kilogram wet weight (wt) of Al (14.7), B (0.99), Ba (1.64), Ca (314), Cd (2.52), Co (0.15), Cu (4.07), Fe (106), Li (3.89), Mn (0.85), Mo (0.16), Na (1510), Ni (0.51), Pb (0.36), Sr (3.54), V (0.78), and Zn (23.13) were higher than those detected in the muscle samples in milligrams per killogram wet wt, which were as follows: Al (8.76), B (0.07), Ba (0.30), Ca (210), Cd (0.01), Co (0.01), Cu (1.51 ), Fe (7.33), Li (1.08), Mn (0.12), Mo (0.01), Na (697), Ni (0.11), Pb (0.04), Sr (1.45), V (0.01), and Zn (4.69). The mean concentrations of Cr, K, and Mg (0.14, 1,904, and 243 mg/kg wet wt, respectively) were higher in muscle than in liver (0.05, 1,333 and 236 mg/kg wet wt, respectively). The mean concentrations of Cd and Pb (0.01 and 0.04 mg/kg wet wt) in muscle did not exceed the maximum limits established by a European Commission regulation (0.1 mg of Cd/kg and 0.3 mg of Pb/kg, respectively). Considering a mean daily consumption of fish muscle for the adult population of 31.9 g/day published in the report on food consumption by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment, Mg made the highest contributions to the intake (2.58% for adult women of 60 kg and 2.22% for men of 70 kg), and the estimated intakes of Al (0.35 to 0.46 mg/day), Cd (0.55 to 0.74 mg/day) and Pb (1.66 to 5.53 mg/day) were below the respective established tolerable intakes. In conclusion, the results of this study show that the consumption of muscle from this benthopelagic species can be considered safe in terms of maximum legal limits, while consumption of liver is discouraged as a major source of exposure to toxic metals, such as Al, Cd, and Pb.

Differential Tissue Accumulation of Copper, Iron, and Zinc in Bycatch Fish from the Mexican Pacific

In order to ascertain if Cu, Fe, and Zn are differentially accumulated in fish tissues, metal concentrations were measured in the muscle and liver of bycatch fish from the states of Sinaloa (189 specimens, 7 species) and Guerrero (152 individuals, 8 species) in the Mexican Pacific Coast during March and November 2011. Additionally, metal levels were compared with the maximum allowable limits set by international legislation and contrasted with similar ichthyofauna from other regions. Liver had more elevated concentrations of Cu (Sinaloa 28.3, Guerrero 16.3 μg g^-1), Fe (Sinaloa 1098, Guerrero 636 μg g^-1), and Zn (Sinaloa 226, Guerrero 186 μg g^-1) than the muscle in fish from both studied areas. The relative abundances of analyzed metals in both tissues was Fe > Zn > Cu. As far as limits set by international legislation (Australia, India, New Zealand, Zambia), measured concentrations of Cu in the edible portion of fish were not found to be above the set values. In the case of Zn, the maximum allowable limits set by international legislation were exceeded by the Peruvian mojarra Diapterus peruvianus from Guerrero state (Mexican Pacific). No limits exist for Fe in the edible portion of fishery products in the national and international legislations.