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Background&Objective: Heavy metals have a high resistance against degradation. So their amounts in human food chain, such as fish, may be increased even several times either in water or air, due to bioaccumulation. These amounts are potentially dangerous to human. This study was done to determin of heavy metals in edible tissue of Lutjans Coccineus and Tigeratooh Croaker in the Persian Gulf. Materials&Methods: 60 samples of Lutjans Coccineus and Tigeratooh Croaker were collected randomly after preparation and chemical digestion for trace elements determination. Pb, Cr, Cd and Ni were determined by flame atomic absorption in 2003. Results: Average value of Pb, Cr, Cd and Ni in the edible tissues of two fish species, Lutjans Coccineus 0.442,0.333,0.063 and 0.322 and Tigeratooh Croaker of were 0.48, 0.062, 0.064 and 0.48 ppm (dry weight basis), respectively. Conclusion: Results indicated that the mean concentrations due to heavy metals in these two species were less than acceptable limit of WHO, but related concentrations of Pb, Ni, Cd and Cr in 27%, 25%, 8% and 3% of individual studied samples respectively were more than upper acceptable limit of WHO.

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Background and Objective: Population growth and pollution caused by the discharge of all kinds of urban, industrial, and agricultural sewage, leachate from landfills, and surface water runoff cause an increase in pollution of water sources. The entry of heavy metals into the environment, especially aquatic ecosystems, due to entering the food chain and jeopardizing human health is one of the concerns of society. This study was conducted to determine the level of heavy metals in muscles of Cynoglossus arel and Pomadasys kaakan fishes in Boushehr coastal waters, north of the Persian Gulf.
Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on twenty pieces of Cynoglossus arel and twenty pieces of Pomadasys kaakan fishes take place from three coastal stations of Boushehr, north of the Persian Gulf, Iran during spring of 2022. The samples were randomly selected from the fish market. After preparation, bioassay, and digestion of fish muscle by concentrated nitric acid, the concentration of heavy metals including nickel, zinc, copper, lead, and cadmium (µg/g) in the muscle tissue was measured by ICP-OES device. The concentration of heavy metals in the fish muscle tissue for human consumption was compared with international standards (FAO, WHO, FDA, NHMRC, and UKMAFF). According to the method of the US Environmental Protection Agency for fish consumption, daily absorption estimates and heavy metal risk indicators were calculated.
Results: The risk potential index for both species was less than one. The daily and weekly absorption of Cynoglossus arel (zinc > copper > nickel > lead > cadmium) and Pomadasys kaakan (copper > zinc > nickel > lead > cadmium) were determined. The mean concentration of heavy metals nickel, zinc, copper, lead, and cadmium in the muscle tissue of the studied species was determined to be 1.88±0.07, 27.16±8.11, 11.55±4.12, 1.14±0.06, and 0.19±0.03 µg/g, respectively. The highest amounts of studied metals in aquatic animals were zinc > copper > nickel > lead > cadmium. The concentration of metals in the analyzed samples was lower than the international standards.
Conclusion: Regarding toxicity, the concentration of metals in Cynoglossus arel and Pomadasys kaakan was evaluated as acceptable for human consumption. In addition, the amount of risk potential and risk index for non-cancerous diseases in adults and children in fish muscle tissue was less than 1, and the consumption of this fish does not cause any problems for human health.