Assessment of PCBs, heavy metals (Cd, Co, Ni, Pb), mercury and methyl mercury content in four fish commonly consumed in Iran

Coastal waters act as nurseries for various fish species and have been recognized as essential fish habitat. In this study, concentrations of PCB 16, PCB 44, heavy metals Cd, Co, Ni, Pb, mercury (Hg) and methyl Mercury (MMHg) were determined in commercially valuable fish from Khuzestan Shore, northwest of the Persian Gulf. It was also our intention to evaluate potential risks to human health associated with seafood consumption. The results indicated that the concentration of heavy metals in the fish were different among the tissue and species. Generally, liver and skin showed higher metal concentrations than muscle. The results confirmed that the concentration of heavy metal in fish strongly affected by habitat and feeding habitats. The results of this study showed heavy metals concentrations in different food habitats increase in the following order benthic omnivorous fishfishfish<piscivores fish. Also, the comparison indicated that benthic species (E. orientalis, O. ruber) were more contaminated than pelagic species (L. abu and P. erumei). The fish species studied had mean concentration lower than all standards, expect Ni and Cd in E. orientalis and Pb in O. ruber. Therefore, the concentration of pollutants in edible part of fish species did not exceed the permissible limits proposed by FAO (1983), WHO (1996), FAD (2001) and are suitable human health.