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Metals (Hg, Pb, Cu, and Zn) Bioaccumulation in Sediment, Fish, and Human Scalp Hair: A Case Study from the City of Mersin Along the Southern Coast of Turkey

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Abstract

This study investigates mercury, lead, copper, and zinc concentrations in six most frequently consumed fish species (120 samples), sediments (20 samples) taken from Karaduvar Fishing Area where fish species live, and Mersin Port as a contrary region, and human scalp hair for people regularly consuming these fish species (50 samples) and non-fish-eaters (15 samples) in Mersin, Turkey. On taking living environment into account, the fish groups include pelagic species of Liza saliens, Liza aurata, and demersal species of Merluccius merluccius, Mullus barbatus, Upeneus moluccensis, and Solea solea. Total Hg (THg) was found to accumulate in muscle tissues at the lowest concentration (0.01 µg/g) in L. saliens and at the highest (2.66 µg/g) in S. solea. Pb was only detected at high concentrations of 1.86 µg/g in M. barbatus and of 2.16 µg/g in M. merluccius. Cu and Zn concentrations were below the detection limit within all fish species. In the sediment samples, Pb and Cu concentrations were persistently below their effect range–median (ERM) value, whereas this limiting value only maintained for 15% of THg concentrations. On the other hand, the effect range–low (ERL) of sediment exceeded at Pb in 15% of samples and Cu in 25% of samples. Zn remained below the detection limit for sediment samples. The metal concentrations at scalp hairs of regular consumers of these fish groups and non-fish eaters vary from the range 0.40–3.28 to 0.14–1.02 µg/g for THg, 11.16–107.84 to 8.00–22.38 µg/g for Pb, and 151.67–645.35 to 144.92–343.50 µg/g for Zn. An important finding of the present study is the significant adverse impact of sedimentary heavy metal bioaccumulation to human through the consumption of demersal fishes in the city of Mersin along the southern coast of Turkey.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the State Planning Organization (DPT), project grant no. 95 K1204060. We thank the late Prof. Dr. Servet Yaman for providing facilities to element analysis in the Geology and Mine Engineering Department, University of Çukurova. The authors acknowledge their thanks to the authorities of the Iller Bankasi, Ankara, for use of the HGAAS. We acknowledge Prof. Dr. Mustafa Canli in the Biology Department, University of Cukurova for his valuable advice on statistical analysis of the data. The authors are grateful to Prof. Dr. Temel Oğuz from METU-IMS for valuable comments on the paper.

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  1. Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Nigde University, 51245, Nigde, Turkey

    Neslihan Doğan-Sağlamtimur

  2. Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mersin University, 33200, Çiftlikköy, Mersin, Turkey

    Halil Kumbur

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Doğan-Sağlamtimur, N., Kumbur, H. Metals (Hg, Pb, Cu, and Zn) Bioaccumulation in Sediment, Fish, and Human Scalp Hair: A Case Study from the City of Mersin Along the Southern Coast of Turkey. Biol Trace Elem Res 136, 55–70 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-009-8516-5

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