Heavy metals in three commercially valuable fish species from İskenderun Bay, Northern East Mediterranean Sea, Turkey

Concentrations of iron, copper, nickel, chromium, lead, and zinc were determined in the muscle, skin and gonads of Mugil cephalus and Trachurus mediterraneus caught at three stations in Iskenderun Bay, Turkey. Heavy metal concentrations in the tissues tended to vary significantly among stations, and two stations thought to be contaminated by untreated domestic wastes and surrounding industrial environment showed particularly high metal concentrations. Generally, skin and gonads showed higher metal concentrations than muscle. The ranges of mean concentrations (micro g/g wet wt) in M. cephalus were as follows: the range of iron concentration was 70.28, 149.77, and 382.51, that of copper was 1.45, 5.36, and 35.37, that of nickel was 1.22, 2.72, and 7.35, that of chromium was 1.46, 3.22, and 10.06, that of lead was 7.45, 37.39, and 62.33, and that of zinc was 38.23, 100.56, and 281.51 in the muscle, skin, and gonads, respectively. The ranges of mean concentrations (micro g/g wet wt) in T. mediterraneus were as follows: the range of iron concentration was 41.84, 49.86, and 74.20, that of copper was 1.29, 3.33, and 11.37, that of nickel was 0.94, 2.02, and 0.99, that of chromium was 1.28, 10.90, and 10.60, that of lead was 1.03, 4.78, and 8.41, and that of zinc was 19.55, 60.79, and 38.44 in the muscle, skin, and gonads, respectively. The concentrations of some metals in some tissues exceeded the acceptable levels for a food source for human consumption. The results of this study indicated that the metals present in the bay were taken up by two fish species through food, water, and sediment, and regardless of their biological needs showed high metal concentrations.