Heavy Metals Concentrations in Fish from Sicily (Mediterranean Sea) and Evaluation of Possible Health Risks to Consumers

Cadmium, lead, mercury and chromium concentrations in fish muscle tissue taken from various Sicilian areas were detected. Fish caught in Siracusa, nearby a petrochemical industrial area, were more contaminated by cadmium, lead and chromium (respectively 0.366, 0.32, 0.72 μg/g) than those from the other sites. In the Sicily Channel, we found the highest bioaccumulation of mercury (0.31 μg/g). Although some metals concentrations exceed the limits set by the European regulation, the estimated weekly intake was below the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake established by the European Food and Safety Authority, and the Target Hazard Quotient values indicate that there is no carcinogenic risk for humans

Distribution of heavy metals in the surficial sediments of Izmir Bay (Turkey)

The distribution of heavy metals (Hg, Cd, Pb, Cr, Zn, Cu, Ni, Mn) were investigated in surficial sediments of Izmir Bay. The data were collected during cruises in July 1997 and January 1998, in the framework of a Izmir Bay Marine Research Project supported by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality. Heavy metal concentrations in the sediment samples showed significant enrichments during sampling periods from Inner Bay. Outer and Middle Bays show low levels of heavy metal enrichments except mouth of Gediz River. Gediz is the major source of anthropogenic input into the Outer Bay

Multivariate analysis of water quality parameters in Izmir Bay, Eastern Aegean

Results of Dissolved Oxygen(DO). Temperature, Salinity, Turbidity, Suspended Material(SM), Total Inorganic Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus in sea water sampled in the Izmir Bay were processed using two mathematical statistical methods. "Principal Component" analysis and "Cluster" analysis were combined to assess the degree of contamination in different parts of the Izmir Bay, to determine the sources and to trace the diffusion paths. The eigen values of the first three Principal Component(PC) accounted for 96 8% of the total variance. The composition of the first PC includes the positive contribution of DO, salinity and the negative contribution of suspended material, turbidity, total inorganic nitrogen and total phosphorus. The second PC explains temperature and accounts for 9.089% of total variability. A third PC isolates total nitrogen and suspended material Cluster analysis helped to classify the sampling stations and identify the sources of pollution. The eastern coasts of the bay are intensely polluted compared to the western part of the Izmir Bay due to industrial and domestic wastes

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 (mu g/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. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Vertical structure of the chemical properties of western Black Sea

The data have been used to understand the variations of chemical features (distribution of nutrients, oxygen and sulfide) at specific density surfaces of the western Black Sea. The range and possible reasons of variations in the vertical profiles of nutrients, oxygen and hydrogen sulphide concentrations are discussed for the Black Sea. The concentrations of inorganic nutrients in the productive surface waters ranged between 0.02-0.30 muM for o.PO4-P and 0.10-0.50 muM for the TNOx-N. The maximum TNOx value of 6.5-7.0 muM was found between the sigma(theta) = 15.35-15.55 surfaces throughout the basin. The upper and the deeper phosphate maxima were observed at sigma(theta) = 15.50-15.60 and sigma(theta) = 16.20-16.25 surfaces, respectively. TNOx/PO4 ratios displayed distinct maxima at specific density surfaces of the upper nutricline. Si/TNOx and Si/PO4 were also calculated in the western Black Sea

Levels and distribution of polychlorinated biphenyls in two edible fish species from Izmir Bay (eastern Aegean): a health risk assessment

PubMed: 32347490The concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners were examined in two fish species from the Izmir Bay. A total of 624 individuals of different fish samples were sampled by trawling from three regions in Izmir Bay between 2010 and 2013. The total levels of indicator PCBs in all samples varied LOD (limit of detection) to 34.3 ng g?1 (dry weight) in the study area. The highest concentrations of PCBs were found in Gulbahce for Mullus barbatus and Diplodus annularis in 2011 and 2010, respectively. PCB153 was the major contributed congener in both fish species during sampling periods. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to evaluate the correlation of the determined variables in fish species. According to PCA, the PCBs are not related with fish length. One-way ANOVA test indicated that significant temporal variations were generally detected for PCBs, while non-significant spatial variations were examined between sampling sites. Six PCB congeners were found as 0.59–6.64 ng g?1 (wet weight, wwt) and compared with iPCB6 limits of 75 ng g?1 (wwt) revealed by the Environmental Food Safety Authority. Accordingly, all fish species analyzed did not surpass the safe limits of iPCB6 suggested by EU. The estimated daily intake of 6 PCB congeners by the people were less than the tolerable daily intake (TDI, 10-ng kg?1 body weight day?1) recommended by WHO (2003), suggesting that this intake would not cause adverse effects to residents of Izmir. © 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.The authors are grateful to Dr. L. Tolga Gonul for his helpful comments on statistical analyses and assessment of health risk. We gratefully thank ARGEFAR for analyses assistance. We also express our deep gratitude to the scientists and crew of the R/V K. Piri Reis for collecting fish samples during the cruises

Trace metal distribution in different chemical fractions of marine sediments along the eastern Aegean shelf

The major objective of this study was to carry out sequential chemical extraction for the partitioning of particulate trace metals in sediment samples, collected along the eastern Aegean shelf during cruises July-August 1994, in the framework of a National Marine Measurement and Monitoring Programme for the Aegean Sea. Five metals, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn and Cr were examined in each of sediment samples. Three chemical fractions of the sediments were separated and concentrations of the trace metals were determined by AAS techniques. The three different leaches used were hydroxylamine hydrochloride-acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide and nitric-perchloric acids. Metals were concentrated mainly in the fraction extracted by nitric-perchloric acids. Lead in the first fraction were found in the sediments of Northern part of Aegean, where the concentration of organic material was high. The total concentrations of Cd, Cu, Zn, Cr were higher in Izmir Bay than the other sampling points. The distribution of Pb concentrations was the highest in Edremit Bay and Izmir Bay. The major objective of this study was to carry out sequential chemical extraction for the partitioning of particulate trace metals in sediment samples, collected along the eastern Aegean shelf during cruises July-August 1994, in the framework of a National Marine Measurement and Monitoring Programme for the Aegean Sea. Five metals, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn and Cr were examined in each of sediment samples. Three chemical fractions of the sediments were separated and concentrations of the trace metals were determined by AAS techniques. The three different leaches used were hydroxylamine hydrochloride-acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide and nitric-perchloric acids. Metals were concentrated mainly in the fraction extracted by nitric-perchloric acids. Lead in the first fraction were found in the sediments of Northern part of Aegean, where the concentration of organic material was high. The total concentrations of Cd, Cu, Zn, Cr were higher in Izmir Bay than the other sampling points. The distribution of Pb concentrations was the highest in Edremit Bay and Izmir Bay

Circulation, hydrographic and nutrient characteristics of the Cilician Basin, Northeastern Mediterranean Sea

The water mass, circulation and chemical properties of the Cilician Basin, the northeastern Levantine Sea, are described on the basis of three hydrographic cruises performed during May 1997 (spring), July 1998 (summer) and October 2003 (autumn). The hydrographic data reveal the presence of Levantine Surface Water (LSW) and Modified Atlantic Water (MAW) within the upper 90 m layer, Levantine Intermediate Water (LIW) between 90 and 250 m, and Transitional Mediterranean Water (TMW) further below. The temporal variability of the circulation system is manifested by a change in shape, size and intensity of eddies as well as the pathways of the Lattakia Basin coastal current system. The nutrient concentrations varied between nitrate+nitrate=0.16-0.31 mu M, phosphate= 0.02-0.03 mu M and silicate= 0.95-1.2 mu M for the surface layer during sampling periods. Dissolved nutrient concentrations in the Transitional Mediterranean Water were: 2.1-5.3 mu M for NO3 +NO2, 0.10-0.21 mu M for PO4 and 5.7-10 mu M for Si. The molar ratios of nitrate to phosphate in the water column range between 5 and 20 in the surface layer and reach up to a value of 45 at the top of the nutricline at the depths of similar to 29.05 kg/m(3) isopycnal surface for most of the year. Below the nutricline the N/P ratios retain the values around 24-28. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in red mullet (Mullus barbatus) and sediments from the eastern Aegean Sea

The distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was investigated in red mullet (Mullus barbatus) and sediment samples in the eastern Aegean Sea. The data were collected during cruises in July and November 1994, in the framework of National Marine Measurement and Monitoring Programme in the Aegean Sea. PAHs were detected in the tissue of Mullus barbatus of different sex and size from nine sampling sites throughout the study area ranging from 0.03 to 0.46 μg/g (fresh weight). The observations show the high levels of PAHs were found in tissues of females. The average concentration of PAHs in Aegean Sea sediments ranged from 0.20 to 1.8 μg/g (dry weight). No significant correlation was observed between PAH and sedimentary organic carbon