Oral intake of cadmium,cobalt, copper,iron, lead,nickel, manganese and zinc in the University student's diet

A duplicate diet meal study was carried out with a group of university students living in a hostel, in order to estimate the intake of Zn, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Pb. Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn and Ni were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry and Cd, Co and Pb by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry after a nitric acid wet digestion procedure. The estimated intake values from the contents of breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks were compared with the values of the Provisional Tolerable Daily Intake (PTDI) in the case of Cd and Pb, Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) of Co, Fe and Zn and Estimated Safe and Adequate Dietetic Daily Intake (ESADDI) of Cu and Mn. Neither excessive intake of Pb and Cd nor deficiencies in Zn, Co, Fe, Mn or Ni were observed, but Cu intake was lower than the ESADDI.     

The levels of heavy metals (Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg) in fish from onshore and offshore waters of the German Bight

Zusammenfassung Mit dem Ziele, unsere Kenntnisse über den gegenwärtigen Grad der Schwermetallspeicherung in Fischen zu erweitern, wurde der Gehalt an den metallischen Spurenelementen Mangan, Eisen, Kobalt, Nickel, Kupfer, Zink, Cadmium, Blei und Quecksilber in bestimmten Fischarten (Kabeljau und Scholle) aus küstennahen und küstenfernen Fanggebieten der Deutschen Bucht bestimmt. Als Meßverfahren wurde die Atom-Absorptions-Spektrophotometrie eingesetzt: Bei der Bestimmung der Elemente Mn, Fe, Cu und Zn wurde die herkömmliche Flammentechnik (Laminarbrenner, Luft-Acetylen-Flamme) verwendet. Die flammenlose Atom-Absorptions-Spektrophotometrie unter Verwendung der Graphitrohrküvette diente der Bestimmung von Cd, Pb, Co und Ni. Der Gehalt an Gesamt-Quecksilber wurde mit der sogenannten Kaltdampf-Methode ermittelt. Zur Vermeidung von Fehlinterpretationen der Meßwerte von Kobalt und Nickel, die sich insbesondere bei diesen Elementen als Folge von Matrixeffekten ergeben, wurde eine spezielle Aufarbeitungstechnik entwickelt, die auf einer selektiven Abtrennung und Anreicherung durch Chelataustauscher-Chromatographie über Chelex 100 beruht.Die ermittelten analytischen Daten werden in einem Diagramm mit doppelt logarithmischem Maßstab dargestellt. Auf der Abscisse ist der Gehalt (Mittelwert von Mehrfachbestimmungen) aufgetragen, auf der Ordinate die zugehörige Reproduzierbarkeit (als Variationskoeffizient) des jeweiligen Meßverfahrens. Allen untersuchten Elementen lassen sich gut umrissene Gehaltsbereiche zuordnen.Das Spektrum der Gehalte an den Übergangsmetallen Mangan, Eisen, Kobalt, Nickel, Kupfer und Zink zeigt bei einem Vergleich von Fischen gleicher Art, aber verschiedener Herkunft nur geringe Unterschiede. Ebenso entsprechen einander die Gehalte, welche an Hand der Untersuchungen verschiedener Fischarten (Kabeljau, Scholle) gleicher Herkunft gewonnen wurden. Die ermittelten Werte für Cadmium, Blei und Quecksilber lassen erkennen, daß Schollen, die sich in der unmittelbaren Küstenzone aufhalten, erhöhte Gehalte aufweisen.

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The levels of heavy metals (Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg) in fish from onshore and offshore waters of the German Bight

Summary With the intention of increasing our knowledge about the actual degree of heavy metal accumulation in fish, the contents of the elements manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, cadmium, lead and mercury in certain fish species (cod and plaice) from onshore and offshore waters of the German Bight have been determined. The measurements have been performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry: Flame AAS was used as investigating procedure for the determination of Mn, Fe, Cu and Zn. A non-flame atomization system with a heated graphite tube was used for the determination of Cd, Pb, Co, and Ni. The concentration of total Hg was estimated according to the so-called cold vapour atomic absorption method. In order to avoid errors in interpretation of measured values of Co and Ni, which occured as a result of matrix effects, a special technique has been developed. This based upon an selective separation and enrichment by chelate exchanger chromatography (Chelex 100).The analytical data obtained are plotted in a diagram with log.-log. scale. The content is shown on thex-axis, and the corresponding relative reproducibility (variation coefficient) of the method used is shown on the y-axis. For all elements investigated certain levels have been found out.From an examination of the results it appeared that there were comparatively small differences in the prevailing concentrations of transition metals Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn between samples of the same species from different areas. Likewise, the levels estimated for plaice did not differ from those estimated for cod. There is some evidence of elevated levels of Cd, Pb, and Hg in plaice from areas along the coastline.

     

Trace metals in muscle tissue of fish taken from the southern Baltic

The determination of Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Cu, Co, Zn and Cd was investigated on 123 samples of muscle tissue of cod, herring, sprat and some other species of fish caught in 1981 in the southern Baltic Sea. The ranges and mean levels of metals recorded in this paper are compared with values reported previously by other authors for cod, herring and sprat from different regions of the Baltic Sea. The correlation coefficients between the metal concentrations in cod and herring muscles were calculated. The species-dependent changes of some metals in species analysed were observed.     

Determination of toxic and essential elements in sunflower honey from Thrace Region,Turkey

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) and selenium (Se) in sunflower honeys obtained from Thrace Region of Turkey. Trace and toxic element determination was performed by atomic absorption spectrometry after microwave digestion. The accuracy of the method was checked by the standard reference material, NIST‐SRM 1515 Apple leaves. The maximum contents of trace and toxic elements in honey samples from Kesan (polluted area) were found as 0.46, 0.82, 1.98, 14.0, 9.86 μg kg^?1, 0.48 mg kg^?1, 137, 115 and 290 μg kg^?1 for Cu, Mn, Zn, Fe, Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni and Se, respectively.     

Concentrations and bioconcentration factors of minerals in yellow-cracking bolete (xerocomus subtomentosus) mushroom collected in noteć forest, poland

Abstract: Yellow‐cracking Bolete (Xerocomus subtomentosus) mushrooms and soil were collected from Note? Forest–a large forested enclave in western part of Poland. Mercury was determined by cold vapour atomic absorption spectroscopy and the other elements by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. K, P, and Mg were particularly abundant, with mean values of 46000, 8400, and 1100 mg/kg dry weight (dw) in caps followed by Na, Rb, Zn, and Ca with mean concentrations of 580, 350, 200, and 170 mg/kg dw, respectively. In descending order, the mean concentrations of Fe, Al, Cu, and Mn were 52, 49, 46, and 14 mg/kg dw, while the mean for the remaining elements was around 1.0 mg/kg dw or less. The elements such as Ca, Cu, Hg, K, Mg, Na, P, Rb, Zn, Ag, Cd, and Ni were accumulated (with bioconcentration factor (BCF) > 1), while Al, Ba, Fe, Mn, Sr, Co, Cr, and Pb were excluded (BCF < 1) in the fruiting bodies. The Pb and Cd content did not exceed the maximum levels set by the EU for cultivated mushrooms. Mercury in a conventional meal (300 g) portion of Yellow‐cracking Bolete was far below the provisionally tolerable weekly intake of 0.004 mg/kg body weight (bw) as reevaluated recently by WHO. Practical Application: The method presented in this study allows one to determine the content of 20 elements (Ag, Al, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, Sr, and Zn) in caps and stipes of Yellow‐cracking Bolete (Xerocomus subtomentosus) mushrooms and soil samples collected from Poland. This study has revealed that the total Cd, Hg, and Pb dose provided to human body due to consumption of Yellow‐cracking Bolete does not pose threat to a consumer's health.     

Trace element content of fish feed and bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) from aquaculture and wild source in Missouri

Trace element content of fish feed and bluegill sunfish muscles (Lepomis macrochirus) from aquaculture and natural pond in Missouri were determined using the inductively coupled-plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) and the direct mercury analyzer (DMA). Dietary intake rates of trace elements were estimated. Dogfish muscle (DORM-2) and lobster hepatopancreas (TORT-2) reference standards were used in trace element recovery and method validations. The average elemental concentrations (mg/kg diet, dry wt.) of fish feed were: As 1.81, Cd 2.37, Co 0.10, Cr 1.42, Cu 8.0, Fe 404, Mn 35.9, Ni 0.51, Pb 9.16, Se 1.71, Sn 20.7, V 0.09, Zn 118 and Hg 0.07. The mean elemental concentrations (μg/kg wet wt.) in bluegill muscles from both aquaculture and wild (in parenthesis) sources were: As 0.36 (0.06), Cd 0.28 (0.01), Co 0.0 (0.0), Cr 0.52 (0.05), Cu 0.38 (0.18), Fe 17.5 (2.43), Mn 0.18 (0.24), Ni 0.18 (0.04), Pb 1.03 (0.04), Se 0.34 (0.30), Sn 0.66 (0.42), V 0.02 (0.01), Zn 6.97 (9.13) and Hg 0.06 (0.24). Kruskal–Wallis chi square indicated significant differences in As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Sn, V, Zn and Hg (P < 0.001), Se (P < 0.01) and Mn (P < 0.05) across the sampling locations. Dietary intake rates, estimated from weekly consumption of 228 g of aquaculture and wild bluegills, posed no health risks for approximately 85% of all samples.     

云南文山雪莲果中微量元素的测定——应用火焰原子吸收法

采用干法灰化处理样品,用火焰原子吸收光谱法测定雪莲果中Zn、Fe、Cu、Mn、Ni、Cr、Cd、Co、Pb9种微量元素的含量;结果表明:RSD%值在0.66~3.25之间,回收率为99.8%~103.7%。对分析结果进行了对比分析,发现文山雪莲果中人体必需元素Fe、Zn含量均较高。     

Trace elements and metals in farmed sea bass and gilthead bream from Tenerife Island, Spain

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of metals (Ca, K, Na, Mg) and trace metals (Ni, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, Pb, Cd) in two fish species (gilthead bream [Sparus aurata] and sea bass [Dicentrarchus labrax]) collected from fish farms located along the coast of Tenerife Island. Ca, K, Na, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn were measured by flame atomic absorption spectrometry, whereas Pb, Cd, and Ni were determined using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Mean Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn contents were 3.09, 0.59, 0.18, and 8.11 mg/kg (wet weight) in S. aurata and 3.20, 0.76, 0.24, and 10.11 mg/kg (wet weight) in D. labrax, respectively. In D. labrax, Ca, K, Na, and Mg levels were 1,955, 2,787, 699.7, and 279.2 mg/kg (wet weight), respectively; in S. aurata, they were 934.7, 3,515, 532.8, and 262.8 mg/kg (wet weight), respectively. The Pb level in S. aurata was 7.28 ± 3.64 μg/kg (wet weight) and, in D. labrax, 4.42 ± 1.56 μg/kg (wet weight). Mean Cd concentrations were 3.33 ± 3.93 and 1.36 ± 1.53 μg/kg (wet weight) for D. labrax and S. aurata, respectively. All Pb and Cd levels measured were well below the accepted European Commission limits, 300 and 50 μg/kg for lead and cadmium, respectively.     

Trace metals in cod from the southern Baltic, 1983

The cadmium, lead, copper, zinc, iron, manganese, and nickel concentrations have been determined in muscle tissue of 201 cod (Gadus morhua) netted in 1983 in different regions in the southern part of the Baltic Sea. The method of measurement was atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The mean values obtained related to wet weight (mg/kg) for cod muscle tissue were: 0.005 Cd, 0.086 Pb, 0.15 Cu, 3.9 Zn, 3.7 Fe, 0.21 Mn, and 0.081 Ni. The results are compared with values reported previously for cod from the Baltic Sea by other authors.     

Elemental Content and Total Antioxidant Activity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salvia fruticosa</Emphasis>

The determination of 18 elements (V, Cr, Cu, Co, Se, Sr, Sn, Sb, Ba, Bi, Pb, Cd, As, Ni, Mn, Fe, Mg and Zn) in leaves, flowers and the infusion from Salvia fruticosa, a sage grown in Greece, is described. For this purpose, flame atomic absorption spectrometry has been used for the determination of Fe, Mg, Zn and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry has been used for the determination of V, Cr, Cu, Co, Se, Sr, Sn, Sb, Ba, Bi, Pb, Cd, As, Ni, Mn using ⁴⁵Sc ⁷²Ge, ¹¹⁵In and ²³²Th as internal standards. The elemental content was found to be in the range of 0.01 (Bi)-30.8 (Mn) mg/Kg (leaves), 0.30 (Bi)-39.1 (Mn) mg/Kg (flowers), 0.003 (Sb)-20.4 (Mn) mg/Kg (infusion) for V, Cr, Cu, Co, Se, Sr, Sn, Sb, Ba, Bi, Pb, Cd, As, Ni, Mn and in the range of 0.07 (Zn)-3.21 (Mg) g/kg (leaves) for Fe, Mg and Zn. The majority of the samples were collected from six sites in the island Crete and transplanted and grown in a model farm. Chemometric techniques were used to investigate the original site classification according to their elemental content, and it was proved that the initial cultivation sites were characterized by only five elements (Sb, V, Zn, Cd and Cr). The application of factor analysis revealed significant correlation between certain elements, denoting their common sources. In addition, the total antioxidant activity of the herbal preparation was determined by measuring the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity. Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) was used to extract total antioxidants and the effect of temperature, time and solvent in the extraction efficiency was investigated. The determination of the antioxidant activity was based on the % inhibition of the absorbance signal of the radical DPPH at 515 nm, after the addition of herbal’s extract. The IC₅₀ values were found to be in the range of 10.6–40.1 mg/L.     

Toxic and essential elements in soft wheat grain cultivated in Serbia

A survey was carried out with the aim of assessing the level of some toxic (Cd, Pb, Hg and As) and essential (Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn) elements in wheat grown in Serbia. A total of 433 samples of soft winter wheat grain from all the Serbian wheat-growing regions were pooled into 52 representative samples for 2002 harvest. After wet digestion, Cd, As, and Pb were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS), whereas Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Vapour generation accessory was used for Hg determination. The mean and median contents of all samples were (on a dry weight basis) 29 and 24 g/kg for Cd, 137 and 87 g/kg for Pb, 7 and <0.1 g/kg for Hg, 55 and 59 g/kg for As, 4.1 and 4.0 mg/kg for Cu, 24 and 24 mg/kg for Zn, 53 and 53 mg/kg for Fe, 34 and 33 mg/kg for Mn. The calculated mean and median levels of contamination were compared with the recommended or regulated maximum levels according to the European Commission and the national legislation. The average intake of eight selected elements from wheat-based products was estimated for the Serbian population.     

Rapid Determination of Trace Elements in Macedonian Grape Brandies for Their Characterization and Safety Evaluation

A graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) was used for determination of trace elements (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in “rakija” samples, a grape brandy traditionally produced in Republic of Macedonia by distillation of grape pomace or wine, for characterization and safety evaluation. Cd, Pb, Cr, and Ni were determined directly, while Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn were quantified after appropriate dilution. The calibration curves of all elements were linear with correlation coefficients (R ²) ranging from 0.9995 to 0.9998. The accuracy of the method was checked with a standard addition method showing good repeatability and reproducibility (relative standard deviation (RSD) <10 %). Relationship between several metal concentrations (Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn) in brandies and distillation system (homemade/industrial) on one side and aging mode (oak barrels/oak chips) on the other side were demonstrated. Two homemade brandies showed Cu, Fe, and Zn concentrations higher than industrial distillates and thus were found to be not safe for consumption because of Cu and Zn over the maximum allowed values. For the industrially produced brandies, Mn was identified to be a suitable marker related to aging with oak chips regardless variety, while Cu a marker for the influence of oak chip type. Principal component analysis applied on the content of elements clearly showed a good separation in terms of distillation and aging method.     

金属元素在汾酒中的作用及应用研究

采用火焰原子吸收法测Na、K、Ca、Mg、Fe、Zn、Cu、Mn、Ni、Li、Pb、Cd 和Cr 含量;石墨炉原子吸收法测Mo、Sr、Ba、Co、Ti、Al 和Sn 含量;原子荧光光度法测Hg、As、Se 和Sb 含量,对汾酒不同生产用水、不同贮存容器所贮新酒中24 种金属元素进行了定量分析,并初步探讨了酒中金属元素的作用机制。结果显示,汾酒中金属元素的种类和含量与生产用水及贮存容器的使用密切相关,因此用不同的水源和容器,酒中金属元素的种类和含量不同,从而影响汾酒的口感和老熟。在此基础上,对汾酒生产中合理使用水源和容器也做出了科学合理的指导。     

Trace elements in farmed fish (Cyprinus carpio,Ctenopharyngodon idella and Oncorhynchus mykiss) from Beijing: implication from feed

Concentrations of 30 trace elements, Li, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Mo, Zn, Se, Sr, Co, Al, Ti, As, Cs, Sc, Te, Ba, Ga, Pb, Sn, Cd, Sb, Ag, Tm, TI, Be, Hg and U in major cultured freshwater fish species (common carp-Cyprinus carpio, grass carp-Ctenopharyngodon idella and rainbow trout-Oncorhynchus mykiss) with the corresponding feed from 23 fish farms in Beijing, China, were investigated. The results revealed that Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Sr, Se were the major accumulated essential elements and Al, Ti were the major accumulated non-essential elements, while Mo, Co, Ga, Sn, Cd, Sb, Ag, Tm, U, TI, Be, Te, Pb and Hg were hardly detectable. Contents of investigated trace elements were close to or much lower than those in fish from other areas in China. Correlation analysis suggested that the elemental concentrations in those fish species were relatively constant and did not vary much with the fish feed. In comparison with the limits for aquafeeds and fish established by Chinese legislation, Cd in 37.5% of rainbow trout feeds and As in 20% of rainbow trout samples exceeded the maximum limit, assuming that inorganic As accounts for 10% of total As. Further health risk assessment showed that fish consumption would not pose risks to consumers as far as non-essential element contaminants are concerned. However, the carcinogenic risk of As in rainbow trout for the inhabitants in Beijing exceeded the acceptable level of 10^?4, to which more attention should be paid.     

慕萨莱思葡萄酒中13种常见金属元素及硒含量分析

采用火焰原子吸收光谱法、石墨炉原子吸收光谱法和原子荧光光度法测定阿瓦提慕萨莱思成品酒、红提葡萄原汁、实验室自酿慕萨莱思及酒泥中镁（Mg）、铁（Fe）、铜（Cu）、锰（Mn）、锌（Zn）、钙（Ca）、铅（Pb）、镉（Cd）、镍（Ni）、铬（Cr）、钴（Co）、钾（K）、钠（Na）和硒（Se）14种元素含量。结果表明,慕萨莱思葡萄酒中富含Na、K、Fe、Mg、Ca和Se,其Pb、Cd和Cr等重金属元素均符合国家标准限量,但阿瓦提慕萨莱思葡萄酒中Fe含量显著高于实验室自酿慕萨莱思（P＜0.01）,为12.13～13.35 mg/L,已超出我国葡萄酒国家标准（≤8 mg/L）,但未超出新疆地方标准的限量（≤15 mg/L）。此外,酒泥中富含绝大多数金属元素和Se。由此,实验室自酿慕萨莱思的酿制工艺可有效降低Fe含量。     

A survey of metal contents in some popular brands of wines in the Nigerian market: estimation of dietary intake and target hazard quotients

The concentrations of metals (Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Cu, Co, Fe, Mn and Zn) were examined in some popular brands of wine in the Nigerian market after HNO₃/H₂O₂ digestion by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The mean concentrations (mg/L) of metals in these categories of wines ranged from 0.01 to 0.02, 0.27 to 0.35, 0.10 to 0.12, 0.02 to 0.02, 0.15 to 0.21, 0.09 to 0.10, 3.47 to 4.55, 0.79 to 0.86 and 0.78 to 1.10 for Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Cu, Co, Fe, Mn and Zn, respectively. The estimated dietary intakes of metals based on the ingestion of 250?mL/day of these brands of wine were below the specified provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI) value for each metal. However, only Pb intake from the consumption of these wines constituted 31–41% of its PTDI value as a single source. The estimated target hazard quotients (THQ) for the metals (except for Pb and Cr) are of concern in that they were above the safe level of THQ?相似文献   

Toxic and micronutrient elements in organic,brown and polished rice in Brazil

Concentration levels of As, Cd, Hg, Pb, Tl, Sn, Sb Co, Cu, Mn, Se, Zn, Cr, Ni and Mo in different types of rice cultivated in irrigated fields in Brazil were evaluated. Arsenic, Cd, Pb, Zn, Mn and Cu were found in higher concentrations in brown rice samples, suggesting the prevalence of these elements in the bran. Meanwhile, lower concentrations of Pb, Mo, Cr, Se and Co were found in parboiled rice. Organic rice did not differ of cultivated conventionally rice. Thallium, Hg and Sb were not detected in any rice sample whose limits of detection were 0.7 μg kg^?1, 2.5 μg kg^?1 and 8 μg kg^?1, respectively. The concentrations of the investigated elements were compared with those reported for polished rice and brown rice from other countries, unveiling concentrations in general at the same level for rice produced at non-contaminated sites.     

河北烤烟中11种微量元素含量分析

采用微波消解-电感耦合等离子体质谱法,测定河北省石家庄、保定、蔚县3个烤烟主产区不同部位烟叶样品中11种微量元素(Cr,Co,Ni,Se,Mn,Zn,Cu,As,Cd,Pb,Hg)含量.结果表明:烤烟中微量元素含量呈现地域性差异,Mn,Cu,Zn,As和Pb含量差别较大;不同部位烤烟中各微量元素含量呈现规律性分布,Cu在中、上部叶片含量较高,其余微量元素在下部叶含量较高;Mn在测定的元素中含量最高,具有潜在生理毒性的Cu,Cr,Cd,Pb,Ni,Hg,As含量较低,均达到无公害烟叶生产示范区水平.     

Investigation of trace element content of cheese

Nine trace elements (Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb) were determined in cheese by atomic absorption spectrophotometry with electrothermal atomization in a graphite tube, using the ashing procedure. Associations among mineral constituents were studied by means of principal component analysis, which allows determination of interdependences among trace elements in foods. A test for normality was used to investigate monovariate distributions, in order to estimate the symmetry of data vector. The correlation matrix was used as a starting matrix for principal component analysis; nine variables were reduced to four principal components. The clusters of elements appear to be determined by their origin.     

Heavy metals in three commercially valuable fish species from İskenderun Bay,Northern East Mediterranean Sea,Turkey

Concentrations of cadmium, iron, lead, zinc, copper, manganese, nickel, chromium, cobalt and aluminum were determined in three commercially valuable fish species, Saurida undosquamis, Sparus aurata, Mullus barbatus, from İskenderun Bay in August 2003. The concentration of metals was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Concentrations of the heavy metals in examined fish species ranged as follows: Cd 0.01–4.16; Fe 0.82–27.35; Pb 0.09–6.95; Zn 0.60–11.57; Cu 0.04–5.43; Mn 0.05–4.64; Ni 0.11–12.88; Cr 0.07–6.46; Co 0.03–5.61; Al 0.02–5.41 mg kg⁻¹ dry weight, respectively. The concentration of metals was significantly affected by the sampling site and fish species. Heavy metals in the edible parts of the investigated fish were in the permissible safety levels for human uses.