Trace metals in herring from the southern Baltic, 1983

The cadmium, lead, copper, zinc, iron, manganese and nickel concentrations have been determined in muscle tissue of 187 herring (Clupea harengus) netted 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 herring muscle tissue were: 0.009 Cd, 0.079 Pb, 0.49 Cu, 9.2 Zn, 9.9 Fe, 0.19 Mn and 0.10 Ni. Some differences in the concentration of particular trace metals between herring stocks sampled have been observed. The mean content of cadmium and lead in muscles of herring examined were below recommended tolerance levels of 0.05-2.0 and 0.5-2.0 mg/kg, respectively. A small number of herring contained cadmium in their muscles at a concentration above 0.05 mg/kg. The results are compared with values reported previously for Baltic herring by other authors.