Element content in cultured and wild sea bass ( Dicentrarchus labrax ) from the Adriatic Sea

• Main Authors: Žvab Rožič, P., Dolenec, T., Baždarić, B., Karamarko, V., Kniewald, G., Dolenec, M.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adriatic Sea; Animal tissues; Aquaculture; Bass; Cadmium; Chromium; Copper; cultured and wild fish; Dicentrarchus labrax; Element content; Fish; Fish farms; Health risks; Lead; Mercury; Mercury (metal); Metal concentrations; Metals; Muscles; Sea bass; Zinc
• ISSN: 2267-1242; 2555-0403; 2267-1242
• DOI: 10.1051/e3sconf/20130111001

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of potentially toxic elements in cultured and wild fish tissues and to assess their risk for human health. For this purpose, sea bass specimens (Dicentrarchus labrax) were sampled in selected fish farm and three other locations along the eastern Adriatic coast. Ranges of element concentrations in sea bass muscles were 1.60-4.46 ppm for As, 0.001-0.079 ppm for Cd, 0.14-49.10 ppm for Cr, 1.38-4.85 ppm for Cu, 0.11-1.31 ppm for Hg, 0.01-0.65 ppm for Pb and 21.9-136.0 ppm for Zn. Mean Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn concentrations in commercially interesting cultured fish samples were below the permissible levels, while mean As values slightly exceed those limits. In wild fishes mean Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations were below the recommended limits, for As, Cr and Hg the mean values were higher. The smallest cultured sea bass samples showed As, Cr, Pb, and Zn concentrations exceeding the recommended limits but values decreased with fish size. Therefore, the metal concentrations in commercial fishes showed no threat for human consumption.