Heavy metals in three commercially valuable fish species from İskenderun Bay, Northern East Mediterranean Sea, Turkey

Concentrations of cadmium, iron, lead, zinc, copper, manganese, nickel, chromium, cobalt and aluminum were determined in three commercially valuable fish species, Saurida undosquamis, Sparus aurata, Mullus barbatus, from İskenderun Bay in August 2003. The concentration of metals was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Concentrations of the heavy metals in examined fish species ranged as follows: Cd 0.01–4.16; Fe 0.82–27.35; Pb 0.09–6.95; Zn 0.60–11.57; Cu 0.04–5.43; Mn 0.05–4.64; Ni 0.11–12.88; Cr 0.07–6.46; Co 0.03–5.61; Al 0.02–5.41 mg kg−1 dry weight, respectively. The concentration of metals was significantly affected by the sampling site and fish species. Heavy metals in the edible parts of the investigated fish were in the permissible safety levels for human uses.