Heavy Metals Content in Canned Tuna Fish Marketed in Assiut City, Egypt and Its Related Human Health Risk Assessment

Abstract

Some heavy metals are harmful and dangerous and cause many risks for food and public health. Also accumulated in fish such as tuna fish as a result of contaminated water or during transport, processing or canning. The present study was conducted to measure the concentration of some heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Al, Hg, Ni, Co and Cr) in canned tuna of five brands. Materials and Methods: Forty canned tuna samples from five brands were examined to determine their metal concentration. The samples were collected from supermarkets found in Assiut city (Egypt) from June 2017 to November 2017. The metals were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrometer Perkin Elymer (Analyst 400) for Pb, Cd, Co, Ni and Cr while Hg was estimated by using ICP (iCAP 6200) and Al was determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (ZEEnit700P). Results: The results revealed that the levels (ppm wet weight) of metals were as following in the examined five brands:

Analysis and Risk Assessment of Essential and Toxic Elements in Algerian Canned Tuna Fish

“…Many important minerals found in human food are given special attention by bioinorganic researchers because they are crucial for the development of the human body's growth [7], these minerals include sodium, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, and others, which are regarded as essential and indispensable nutrients when consumed in the right amounts [8]. The food also contains other trace elements, commonly known as heavy metals, such as lead, cadmium, and mercury, that are contrary to its predecessors, it is known for its harmful effects on human health, as well as some pollutants organic and PAH [9,10], where the toxicity of these elements lies in their accumulation in sh tissues and their transmission through the food chain to humans [11]. According to Storelli et al, [12], the liver, brain, kidneys, and nervous system are some human organs that are impacted by Hg, Cd, and Pb toxicity, another hand the exposure of pregnant women to methyl mercury is dangerous to the fetus and the development of its nervous system, it also has permanent effects on various tissues, including embryonic mutations [13].…”

“…Over the past ten years, a lot of studies have focused on determining the amounts of heavy and hazardous metals in water and food, especially the evaluation of food supply contamination, including canned foods such as tuna, in order to assure food safety [9,23,24].…”