BaselineToxic heavy metals in commercially important food fishes collected from Palk Bay, Southeastern India

•Heavy metals is an important group of emerging chemical contaminants in seafoods.•Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn analyzed from 10 fishes of southern Indian coast•Toxic heavy metals residues were found within the regulatory limit.

Toxic heavy metals are an important group of emerging chemical contaminants in seafood. Heavy metal concentrations in commercially important and most commonly eaten 10 fish species from Thondi fish landing, southeast coast of India, were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The concentrations of heavy metals significantly varied within and between the investigated fish species (P < 0.05). The results of this study showed best significant correlations among the toxic heavy metals in the fish samples. It was revealed that Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn metals were present in the fish samples at various levels. The residual levels of toxic heavy metals were less than the permissible levels specified for human consumption by the European Union, Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization guidelines. Therefore, the fish species found in the Thondi fish landing and their fishery products can be considered safe for human consumption and can be exported worldwide.