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Fish and seafood availability in markets in the Baie des Chaleurs region, New Brunswick, Canada: a heavy metal contamination baseline study

  • Ecotoxicology of estuaries in France and Québec, Canada
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Abstract

The consumption of halieutic products has many health benefits. However, their contaminants loads need to be addressed to better understand the risk from consuming these products. The aquatic biota from the Baie des Chaleurs in New Brunswick is contaminated by cadmium, zinc and lead. In spite of this, no study has examined the heavy metal concentrations in commercial halieutic products sold in this Canadian region. The objective of this pilot study was to characterize the species and origin of fish and seafood sold in the Baie des Chaleurs region by using an ecosystemic approach. Additionally, a baseline picture of the heavy metal levels found in these products has been determined. In 2008, interviews were carried out in markets located in the Baie des Chaleurs area. Species that were identified as the most purchased were then bought for analysis. Samples were freeze-dried and homogenized before nitric acid digestions. Aluminum, copper, cadmium, iron, manganese, and zinc concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Results show that 36 % of seafood species sold in markets were caught in the Baie des Chaleurs. Lobsters, shrimps, scallops and oysters are the most purchased species regardless of the season. High amounts of cadmium exceeding tolerable daily intake are found in lobster hepatopancreas and can cause deleterious effects on health, in particular in vulnerable populations such as children and heavy consumers. The ecosystemic approach to health used in this pilot study shows the feasibility of an exhaustive study on the exposure of coastal population to heavy metal from fish and seafood consumption and the source of halieutic products sold in markets.

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Acknowledgments

We are thankful to merchants for their participation, Environment Canada for laboratory assistance and Dr G. Moreau for his help with data analysis. This work is financially supported by the New Brunswick Environmental Trust Fund, the Consortium National de Formation en Santé and the Programme Coopération New Brunswick—Québec of New Brunswick and Québec government.

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  1. Département de Chimie et de Biochimie, Université de Moncton, 18 avenue Antonine-Maillet, Moncton, NB, E1A 3E9, Canada

    Marc Fraser & Céline Surette

  2. INRS—Institut Armand-Frappier, Université du Québec, 531 boulevard des Prairies, Laval, QC, H7V 1B7, Canada

    Marc Fraser & Cathy Vaillancourt

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  1. Marc Fraser
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Correspondence to Céline Surette.

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Fraser, M., Surette, C. & Vaillancourt, C. Fish and seafood availability in markets in the Baie des Chaleurs region, New Brunswick, Canada: a heavy metal contamination baseline study. Environ Sci Pollut Res 20, 761–770 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-012-1134-3

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