Disclosure Statement: The authors report no conflicts of interests.
Research Article
Mercury levels in feed and muscle of farmed tilapia†
Article first published online: 7 FEB 2012
DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22021
Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Issue
American Journal of Industrial Medicine
Early View (Online Version of Record published before inclusion in an issue)
Additional Information
How to Cite
Botaro, D., Torres, J. P. M., Schramm, K.-W. and Malm, O. (2012), Mercury levels in feed and muscle of farmed tilapia. Am. J. Ind. Med.. doi: 10.1002/ajim.22021
- †
Publication History
- Article first published online: 7 FEB 2012
- Manuscript Accepted: 12 JAN 2012
Funded by
- CNPq. Grant Numbers: CNPq/MAPA/SDA 577906/2008-9, CAPES/PROBRAL/DAAD 270/07
- Mont Sinai School of Medicine. Grant Number: D43TW00640
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- aquaculture;
- pollutants;
- fish feed;
- heavy metals;
- bioaccumulation;
- Oreochromis niloticus
Abstract
Background
Fish consumption is considered the most important source of contaminant exposure for humans beings, and farmed fish can be exposed to contaminants via feed supply.
Methods
Total mercury concentrations (THg) were determined in the muscle, liver, and feed of farmed Nile tilapia (juveniles and adults) from four different fish farms in Brazil (net cages and intensive tanks systems), by a flow injection mercury system.
Results
Mercury concentrations observed in fish muscle were markedly lower (13.5–30.5 µg kg−1) than the values recommended by ANVISA/MAPA for edible part of fish (500 µg kg−1), and in the liver the concentrations found were higher than in the muscle.
Conclusions
These low levels of THg in farmed tilapia may be due to the low THg concentrations found in the analyzed fish feed, that ranged from 5.2 to 33.2 µg kg−1, below the limit of 100 µg kg−1 established by the European Commission. Am. J. Ind. Med. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.