Assessment of Content of Heavy Metals in Seafood from Sea Area of Guangdong Province / 环境与健康杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the content of heavy metals in the seafood from sea areas of Guangdong province and assess the seafood safety. Methods The seafood samples were collected from seventeen representative sea areas and two seafood markets in Guangdong province from April to August 2007. The contents of Cu,Zn,Cr,Cd and Pb were measured by ICP-MS. Single factor contamination estimation in seafood was conducted and the sea food safety was assessed. Results The contents of five heavy metals in fish were below the standard limits for harmless fishery food,and the contents of heavy metals in shellfish were higher than those of fish. The contents of Cu and Zn in some oysters were higher than the evaluation standard of heavy metal pollution for the marine animals. The contents of Cd in chlamys farreri and oysters were higher than the standard limits of harmless fishery food. Except the higher content of Cr in babylonia areolata,the contents of Cr and Pb in shellfish were below the standard limits. Conclusion As for the levels of heavy metals,Cu,Zn,Cr,Cd and Pb,in the fish from the sea areas of Guangdong province is safe for health and but the levels of the five heavy metals exceeded the safety limits in varying degrees in some shellfish.