Validation of Determination by Icp-Oes Method of Mercury Residual Levels in Meat of Canned Fish Sold in Turkey

Abstract

This study describes the residual mercury levels in canned fish marketed in Turkey. In total, 375 fish samples were analyzed by Inductive Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP OES) for mercury residues. The quantification limit (LOQ) from the validation data ranged from 0.008 to 0.043 mg kg-1. Accuracy and precision were evaluated by means of recovery experiments at two concentration levels (30, and 50 μg L−1), obtaining recoveries between 87.5% and 109.3% and coefficient of variation below 10%. Also, the relative standard deviation (RSD) ranged from 0.2% to 9%. The expanded measurement uncertainty for mercury ranged from 11.1% to 19.2%. In investigated samples, 4.8% were detected at a detectable level of mercury, but these levels were below the legal limits. With regard to hg level were no significant correlations (p