Determination of zinc and copper in fish samples collected from Northeast Atlantic by DPSAV

Zinc and copper contents in the edible parts (muscle, fillet) of 19 commercially used fish species from Northeast Atlantic (Tampen, North of Shetland Islands, Faroe Islands and Copinsay) were determined by means of DPSAV (differential pulse stripping anodic voltammetry). In the sample preparation step, all frozen fish samples were lyophilised, milled in a ball mill and finally decomposed in an oxygen plasma ashing chamber. Among the fishes from four sampling locations, the highest zinc and copper concentrations were found in small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus caniculus) and with 8.6 mg/kg for zinc and mackerel (Scomber scombrus) and with 0.84 mg/kg for copper, respectively. The accuracy of the concentrations determined in this study was checked by the measurements of the certified reference material CRM No. 422, cod muscle from the Commission of the European Communities, Community Bureau of Reference. All Zn and Cu concentrations observed from species of Northeast Atlantic showed that fish from this area is a good source of these essential elements and the developed method is accepted as a good analytical routine method for these samples.