Arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead in date mussels from the Sarajevo fish market (Bosnia and Herzegovina): a preliminary study on the health risks

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to determine the content of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Hg) and metalloid (As) in samplesof date mussels (Lithophaga lithophaga L., 1758) in order to evaluate the health risks for mussel consumers. Samples of shellfish wereobtained from commercial sources and fishery in the area of Sarajevo. The content of heavy metals and arsenic is determined in a totalof 46 samples. Samples were prepared by microwave digestion. For the analysis of total As, cadmium and lead, an atomic absorptionspectrophotometer with graphite furnace was used, while mercury content was determined using a direct Hg analyser. In all samples,the content of heavy metals and arsenic was above the quantification limit of the given methods. The content of all analysed metals andmetalloid was below the limits of their maximum allowable concentration in food, according to the current regulations in Bosnia andHerzegovina and the European Union. Evaluation of the public health risks associated with date mussels’ consumption indicates thatthere is no evident risk for a moderate adult consumer.