title: Elemental composition of four farmed fish produced in Portugal.
abstract: Farmed gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata), European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and turbot (Psetta maxima) produced in Portugal were analysed in order to characterize their elemental composition. Atomic absorption (flame and cold vapour) and molecular absorption spectrometry techniques were used to determine all the studied elements. Similar patterns of macro, trace and ultra trace elements were observed for all fish species. The main elements were potassium (K), sodium (Na), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca), followed by zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn) and nickel (Ni). Cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) concentrations, obtained in this study, allow concluding that these species do not present a hazard for human consumption. In addition, they contain almost all essential elements at concentrations sufficient to suit the dietary reference intake. Nevertheless, P. maxima nutritious trace element content is relatively low compared with the other three species.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Upgrading of Fishery Products and Aquaculture, National Institute of Biological Resources (INRB, IP/L-IPIMAR), Lisboa, Portugal. helena@ipimar.pt
authors.forename: Helena M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Lourenço
authors.forename: Cláudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Afonso
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Anacleto
authors.forename: Maria F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: Ana R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Lino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017756:Aquaculture; D001492:Bass / Q000254:growth & development; D005412:Flatfishes / Q000254:growth & development; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D009753:Nutritive Value; D017686:Oncorhynchus mykiss / Q000254:growth & development; D011174:Portugal; D021541:Sea Bream / Q000254:growth & development; D017747:Seafood / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014131:Trace Elements