Heavy metal (Pb, Co, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) concentrations in harvest-size white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei tissues from aquaculture and wild source

The present research project was undertaken to determine heavy metal (Pb, Co, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) concentrations in intensive aquaculture and wild white shrimp tissues (muscle, shell and liver), and to inform aquatic shrimp food safety. The aquaculture samples were obtained from ten intensive farms and wild animals from one station in Zhanjiang Harbour Bay. Heavy metal concentrations (mg kg−1, dry weight; means ± S.D.) in aquaculture white shrimp muscle, shell and liver tissues were, respectively: Cr – 20.86 ± 5.27, 28.70 ± 8.34 and 18.91 ± 5.50, Cu – 24.26 ± 8.36, 30.86 ± 9.84 and 126.42 ± 90.9, Fe – 61.35 ± 30.76, 55.07 ± 17.72 and 124.04 ± 56.15, Mn – 5.33 ± 2.5, 10.72 ± 4.34 and 8.79 ± 5.29, Zn – 171.56 ± 118.74, 51.84 ± 10.94 and 111.74 ± 84.67. Cadmium was observed only in liver tissue at 3.30 ± 1.29 mg kg−1. Lead could not be detected, and cobalt was detected only in wild shrimp liver tissue. Chromium and manganese mean concentrations in shell tissue were significantly higher than levels in muscle tissue (P < 0.05), but the zinc mean concentration was significantly lower than noted in muscle tissue (P < 0.05). Copper and iron mean concentrations in liver tissue were significantly higher than those in muscle or shell tissues (P < 0.05). Overall, only chromium in white shrimp tissue was the primary risk for human health.