Heavy metals in marketed hake and tuna highlight pollution hotspots in old continent waters

Heavy metals are legacy pollutants that can accumulate in marine fish. For their toxicity they represent a potential risk for seafood consumers, especially in global seafood markets that import fish from polluted regions. Here we analyzed heavy metal contents in local and imported hake and tuna species marketed in Spain (N = 123). One individual exceeding the safety level according to European regulations for Cd and two for Hg were found, being 4.1% of the analyzed fish. Hakes were more polluted by As and tunas by Hg. For higher risk indices Estimated Weekly Intake (EWI) and Allowable Limit of Consumption Rate, FAO 27 (Northeast Atlantic waters, Europe) and FAO 34 (central East Atlantic, West Africa) contained the most polluted fish, being FAO 27 a hotspot for As and FAO 34 for Hg. Possible sources of As, Cd and Hg in each region are discussed. For food safety, controlling seafood heavy metal content, preventing, and mitigating heavy metal pollution should be priority in these pollution hotspots.