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There is an increasingly need to assess the contaminant levels in fish as indicators of the health and well-being of both the fish and their consumers, including humans. Fish samples were collected through the coastal waters of Turkey and the contents of cadmium, copper, chrome, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, zinc and lead in the liver and muscle tissues were determined by ICP-AES. The highest levels of each metal were found in the liver and this was followed by the muscle in both species. Among the metals analyzed, Cu, Zn and Fe were the most abundant in the different tissues while Cd and Pb were the least abundant both in Mullus barbatus (red mullet) and Merlangius merlangus (whiting). Regional changes in metal (Cd, Cu, Pb, Fe and Zn) concentration were observed in the tissues of both species, but these variations may not influence consumption advisories.

The concentrations of cadmium, copper, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, zinc and lead in muscle and liver tissues of the fish samples collected from seven stations in the coastal waters of Turkey and were determined. Iron showed the highest levels in both tissues of fish and all stations. Following Fe; Zn generally showed the second highest levels. Metal concentrations in edible parts of fish species were 0.02-0.30 mg kg-1 for cadmium, 0.04-0.26 mg kg-1 for cobalt, 0.07-1.19 mg kg-1 for chromium, 0.34-16.7 mg kg-1 for copper, 18.5-72.3 mg kg-1 for iron, 0.07-2.58 mg kg-1 for manganese, 0.01-2.78 mg kg-1 for nickel, 0.04-1.34 mg kg-1 for lead, 3.36-42.6 mg kg-1 for zinc respectively. In general, metal concentrations in livers were higher than those in muscles. Cadmium, chromium and lead concentrations in muscles of fish from some stations were higher than permissible safety levels for human uses.