Assessment of Potential Health Risks of Heavy Metals to the General Public in Turkey via Consumption of Red Mullet, Whiting, Turbot from the Southwest Black Sea

Trace metals in red mullet Mullus barbatus), whiting Merlangius merlangus) and turbot Psetta maxima), from the Southwest Black Sea were determined and compared with the permitted limits. The maximum and minimum concentrations mg. kg(-1)) in red mullet, whiting and turbot samples were found as 1.36-11.85, 1.57-3.35 and 0.39-26.36 for Cu; 20.80-34.94, 13.70-36.49 and 4.89-72.13 for Zn; 3.37-5.87, 1.98-7.53 and 0.70-2.90 for As; 0.02-0.05, 0.01-0.04 and 0.00-0.05 for Cd; 0.01-0.03, 0.01-0.02 and 0.00-0.02 for Hg; 0.03-1.70, 0.05-1.22 and 0.00-1.44 for Pb, respectively. The 2% of turbots exceeded the permitted limit for Cu, while 4% of them contained Zn above the limit. Lead concentration exceeded the permitted limit in the 25% of red mullets, 33% of whitings and 15% of turbots. The estimated weekly intakes EWI) of metals were lower than established provisional tolerable weekly intakes PTWI). Target hazard quotients THQs) due to metal uptake from consuming each of these fish species were below 1, indicating no health risks. Besides, consumption of these demersal species together would not cause potential health risks since hazard index HI) was lower than 1.