Investigation of Metal Toxicity Response and Health Risk Assessment of Commonly Consumed Marine Fish Species Along the Turkish Coast

Abstract

Marine environments are suffered from several types of pollution. Marine organisms take pollutants into their bodies which result in heavy metal accumulation in their tissues. Therefore, consumption of marine organisms may pose a risk to human health. This study was undertaken to estimate metal accumulation and metal toxicity responses of M. barbatus, B.boops, T. trachurus from Marmara Sea, Aegean Sea and Mediterranean Sea. Also, since these species were commonly consumed by Turkish people, health risk assessment employing The Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) and lifetime cancer risk (CR) was conducted. For that purpose, aluminum (Al), chrome (Cr), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) concentrations in the muscle, gill and liver. To test the impact of metal toxicity on studies species, oxidative stress biomarkers (catalase-CAT, Malondialdehyde-MDA) in muscle and liver were investigated. Metal accumulation levels showed differences depending on tissues, species and/or bays. Also, strong correlation was observed between biostress parameters and metal accumulation levels. Both, THQ and CR calculations showed safe consumption depending on the consumption of M. barbatus, B.boops, T. trachurus at all stations. Results obtained in this study showed that biostress parameters could be effectively used to monitor environmental pollution and contribute to the knowledge of metal toxicity along Turkish coast.