Toxic metals (Hg, Cd, and Pb) in fishery products imported into Italy: suitability for human consumption.
Mercury, cadmium, and lead concentrations were determined in various fishery products (fishes, cephalopod molluscs, and crustaceans) imported into Italy from many European and non-European coastal countries. Considerable differences were found in the concentrations of these metals among  the products tested. The highest mean Hg concentration was found in fishes (0.21 μg g(-1) wet weight), whereas cephalopods had the highest mean Cd concentration (0.35 μg g(-1) wet weight). Swordfish (0.80 μg g(-1) wet weight), longtail  tuna (0.53 μg g(-1) wet weight), and thornback ray (0.52 μg g(-1) wet weight) had the highest concentrations of Hg, whereas maximum Cd concentrations were found in samples of common cuttlefish (0.85 μg g(-1) wet weight) and common octopus  (0.64 μg g(-1) wet weight). The majority of the samples analyzed were in compliance with European Union legislation, except for a few cases. The calculated mean weekly intakes of Hg, Cd, and Pb through consumption of the fishery products tested were all below the legislated  respective provisional tolerable weekly intakes. In general, the samples analyzed were considered safe to eat with regard to the metal concentrations found and the allowable intakes based on legislation. Nevertheless, the consumption of some species may be of significant importance for consumer  health.
Department of Pharmacology and Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry Section, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Strada Prov. le per Casamassima Km 3, 70010 Valenzano, Bari, Italy. m.m.storelli@veterinaria.uniba.it
Maria M
MM
Storelli
Giovanni
G
Normanno
Grazia
G
Barone
Angela
A
Dambrosio
Luigi
L
Errico
Rita
R
Garofalo
Roberto
R
Giacominelli-Stuffler
D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D005399:Fishes; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D007854:Lead; D008628:Mercury; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000633:toxicity*; D017747:Seafood / Q000032:analysis*; D013045:Species Specificity
D019216:Metals, Heavy; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D008628:Mercury