ABSTRACT
The purpose of the present study was to analyze the concentrations of lead, cadmium and mercury in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and veined rapa whelks (Rapana venosa) caught in the Varna Bay of Black Sea and to evaluate the risk for human health from the presence of the three heavy metals. The highest average concentrations in mussels were those of cadmium (0.280â¯mg/kg), followed by lead (0.251â¯mg/kg) and mercury (0.017â¯mg/kg). Veined rapa whelks also showed highest levels of cadmium (1.113â¯mg/kg), followed by lead (0.045â¯mg/kg) and mercury (0.034â¯mg/kg). EDI values for adults consuming mussels and veined rapa whelks were below the published RfDo and PTWI values. All THQ and HI values were below 1. The consumption of M. galloprovincialis and R. venosa caught in the Varna Bay, Black Sea, did not pose any risk for the health of adult people as lead, cadmium and mercury were concerned.
Subject(s)
Gastropoda/drug effects , Metals, Heavy/analysis , Mytilus/drug effects , Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis , Animals , Black Sea , Bulgaria , Food Contamination/analysis , Gastropoda/chemistry , Humans , Mytilus/chemistry , Risk Assessment , Seafood/analysisABSTRACT
The study was conducted on alluvial-meadow, maroon-forest soils and vertisols with Virginia tobacco. The total content of lead and cadmium is measured through decomposition by HF, HClO(4), and HNO(3) acids. A solution of 0.005 M diethylentriaminepentaacetic acid + 0.1 M triethanolamine, pH 7.3 was used for extraction of the elements' mobile forms from soils. The preparation of plant samples was made by means of dry ashing and dissolution in 3 M HCl. An atomic absorption spectrometer "Spektra AA 220" of the Australian company Varian was used for determination of Pb and Cd content in the soil and plant samples. Certified reference materials (three soils and tobacco leaves) were also analyzed for the verification of the accuracy of Pb and Cd determination. A correlation/regression analysis was conducted between pH, humus content, total and mobile forms of lead and cadmium in the soil, and the concentration of these elements in the aboveground biomass of Virginia tobacco. It was established that there are no statistically significant dependencies determined between soil pH and lead concentration in the plant organs of Virginia tobacco. Regressional dependencies of great significance were determined between the humus content, total and mobile lead and cadmium in the soil, and the element concentration in the leaves of the three harvesting zones.
