Heavy metals in processed seafood products from Turkey: risk assessment for the consumers

In this study, concentrations of 6 different elements (copper (Cu), tin (Sn), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb)) in 9 different processed seafood (marinated and smoked mackerel, smoked mackerel, marinated octopus tentacles, marinated octopus salad, marinated squid salad, salted and dried mackerel, marinated and smoked anchovy, smoked salmon and smoked bonito) randomly taken from markets in Mugla province (West Anatolia, Turkey) were determined with the method of inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) after microwave wet digestion process. In addition, risk assessment for consumer health was conducted by the determination of estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) and carcinogenic risk (CR). According to the obtained results, the seafood product samples with the highest concentrations of each metal were marinated and smoked anchovy for Fe (65.85 +/- 16.03 mg kg(-1)), marinated and smoked anchovy for Zn (64.58 +/- 25.16 mg kg(-1)), marinated octopus salad for Cu (26.33 +/- 17.76 mg kg(-1)), smoked mackerel for Sn (0.42 +/- 0.18 mg kg(-1)), smoked mackerel for Pb (0.28 +/- 0.18 mg kg(-1)) and marinated squid salad for Cd (0.31 +/- 0.12 mg kg(-1)). According to risk assessment for consumer health, it was found that EDI results did not exceed the tolerable daily intake (TDI) values. As a conclusion, any risk for consumer health in terms of CR, THQ and TTHQ values was not detected in the examined samples.

Automated summary

This study analyzed the concentrations of 6 different elements in 9 processed seafood products from markets in Mugla province, Turkey, and conducted a risk assessment for consumer health. The seafood products with the highest concentrations of each metal were identified, and it was found that there were no detected health risks for consumers in terms of carcinogenic risk, target hazard quotient, and total target hazard quotient values.