Heavy metal contaminants in Red Pandora (Pagellus erythrinus) tissues from the Eastern Aegean Sea, Turkey

Heavy metal contents were investigated in different organ tissues of Red Pandora (Pagellus erythrinus) from the eastern Aegean Sea between May 1996 and July 1998. The concentrations of mercury in the muscle tissue ranged between 16 and 716, in liver 125–5451, in gonad 2.0–1858; cadmium in muscle nd-9.6, in liver 1.4–2245, in gonad nd-192; lead in muscle nd-1397, in liver 112–8311, in gonad nd-2927; zinc in muscle 1352–6693, in liver 2710–78705, in gonad 7273–168655; copper in muscle nd-383, in liver nd-21986, in gonad nd-20499 (μg/kg wet weight). The highest concentrations were generally found in the Southern Aegean Sea. All metal levels in muscle tissues are lower than the limits of European Dietary Standards and Guidelines. The metals ratios between liver and muscle indicated that the liver accumulated higher levels of metals than the muscle tissues. The bioaccumulation factor (BAFs) of metals was measured in muscle, liver and gonads. BAFs among the analysed elements showed the descending orders as Zn>Cu>Cd>Pb for muscle and gonads and Cd>Zn>Cu>Pb for liver.