Levels of Mercury in Some Commonly Consumed Fish in Ghana and Their Potential Health Risk to Consumers
Journal Title: Haya: The Saudi Journal of Life Sciences - Year 2018, Vol 3, Issue 3
Abstract
Abstract:A total of seventy five (75) marine fishes comprising eight (8) species were collected from local wholesale markets at Kaneshie and Abeka, Accra, Ghana. The samples obtained from Kaneshie market were Salmon salar (Salmon), Thunnusobesus (Tuna),Scomberscombrus(Atlantic mackerel) and Clupeaharengus (Atlantic herring) and those obtained from Abeka market were Centroberyxaffinis (Red fish), Merluccusparadoxas(Hake fish), Scombertrachurus(Atlantic horse mackerel) and Melanogrammusaeglefinus(Haddock). Mercury concentrations in the muscle and liver tissues were determined by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrophotometry using a semi-automated mercury analyzer. Mean mercury concentrations in the muscle ranged from 0.06 to 0.33 µg g-1 wet weight, with Thunnusobesushaving the highest followed by Merluccusparadoxaswhich are all predatory fishes. Mean mercury concentration in the liver tissue ranged from 0.06 to 0.34 µg g-1 wet weight, with Thunnusobesus having the highest followed by Melanogrammusaeglefinus. There was no significant difference between mercury concentrations in the muscle and liver tissues for any of the samples. Low levels of mercury were found in both tissues for all the samples. Mercury concentrations were relatively greater in the tissues of higher trophic level fish such as Thunnusobesus, MerluccusparadoxasandMelanogrammusaeglefinus whereas low trophic level fishes recorded low mercury concentrations. The results obtained for total mercury concentration in the muscles analyzed in this study were below the WHO/FAO threshold limit of 0.5µg/g wet weight, which suggest that the exposure of the general public to mercury through fish consumption can be considered negligible. Keywords: Mercury, Fish, muscle, liver, Abeka, Kaneshie.
Authors and Affiliations
Wonder Agbasah, Margaret Boohene
Keywords
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