The determination of heavy metal accumulation ratios in muscle, skin and gills of some migratory fish species by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) in Beymelek Lagoon (Antalya/Turkey)

In this study, copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), magnesium (mg), nickel (Ni), chrome (Cr), cobalt (Co) and boron (B) accumulation ratios of muscle, skin and gill of Striped seabream (Sparidae, Lithognathus mormyrus), Golden grey mullet (Mugilidae, Liza aurata), Thicklip grey mullet (Mugilidae, Chelon labrasus), Flathead mullet (Mugilidae, Mugil cephalus), Gilthead seabream (Sparidae, Sparus aurata) and Thinlip mullet (Mugilidae, Liza ramada) in Beymelek Lagoon (Antalya/Turkey) were investigated. The analyses of elements were performed with inductively coupled plasma-optic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) by using microwave digestion techniques. There were significant variations among heavy metal accumulation levels of the species and their tissues. The heavy metal concentrations found in tissues varied for Cu: 0.28–5.11, Zn: 4.27–339.76, Mn: 0.0–12.81, Fe: 3.25–117.73, Cr: 0.0–1.40, Co: 0.0–3.29 and Mg: 168.73–659.16 mg/kg wet weight. Ni and B were not detected in any tissues of the species. The heavy metal concentrations of fish in Beymelek Lagoon were lower than those of fish from other contaminated Mediterranean regions of Turkey. This research showed that heavy metal concentrations in muscles of investigated species were also lower than the maximum levels set by law.