The concentrations of heavy metals in the liver and muscle tissue of three kinds of fish during five year period

Abstract

Fish, as the top of the trophic pyramid of aquatic ecosystems, are one of the most sensitive bioindicators for the presence of heavy metals in the aquatic ecosystems that inhabit them. Concentrations of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and zinc (Zn) were determined in the muscle tissue and liver of selected fish species from the Zapadna Morava River during 2013 and 2018, respectively. The aim of this paper was to obtain a more complete insight into the level of accumulation of heavy metals in the organism of fish, especially fish meat as an edible part that should satisfy the health safety for human consumption. Investigations of the concentration of the presence of heavy metals from Carassius auratus, Abramis brama and Squalius cephalus have revealed various bioaccumulation of heavy metals. Among the examined fish, the highest accumulation of heavy metals was found in Abramis brama, Carassius auratus and Squalius cephalus, respectively. In all fish for all four investigated heavy metals, higher concentrations were detected in the liver and less in fish muscle. Bioaccumulation of heavy metals had the following trend: Zn > Pb > Cd > Hg.The determined concentrations of the analyzed heavy metals in fish muscle were not within the permitted limits of the MAC national legislation of the Republic of Serbia. Meat of investigated fish species is not health-safe and hygienically correct for use in human nutrition (The Official Gazette Republic of Serbia No 22/2018 and No 90/2018). The content of tested heavy metals in fish meat indicates that in this aquatic ecosystem during the five year period there was no significant pollution with these heavy metals.