Determination of the lead and cadmium burden in some northeastern Atlantic and Mediterranean fish species by DPSAV

Lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) contents in the edible parts (muscle, fillet) of 68 commercially used fish species from two European regions, the northeastern Atlantic (Tampen, north of the Shetland Islands, Faroe Islands and Copinsay) and the Mediterranean (Izmir Outer Bay, Homa Lagoon/Izmir and Mersin Bay), were determined by means of differential pulse stripping anodic voltammetry. In the sample preparation step, all frozen fish samples were lyophilised, milled in a ball mill and finally decomposed in an oxygen plasma ashing chamber. Among the fishes from northeastern Atlantic waters, the highest average Pb concentration belonged to those from Tampen with 11.25 µg/kg and the average Cd concentration to fish from Copinsay with 2.23 µg/kg. For the Mediterranean fishes, the highest average Pb and Cd concentrations belonged to those from Mersin Bay, with 185.39 µg/kg and 2.12 µg/kg, respectively. The accuracy of the concentrations determined in this study was checked by measurements of the certified reference material CRM No 422 cod muscle from the Commission of the European Communities, Community Bureau of Reference. All Cd and Pb concentrations observed in species of the eastern Mediterranean and the northeastern Atlantic were below the maximum permitted national Turkish and European levels.