Analysis of Metal Accumulation in Some Marine Organisms Obtained from the Northern Sea of Marmara, Türkiye

The aim of this study was to investigate the accumulation of elements (Se, As, Hg, Cr, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, Mn, Al, Fe, Co and V) in some marine organisms [Eriphia verrucosa (Forskål, 1775), Solea solea (Linnaeus, 1758), Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819, and Ulva lactuca Linnaeus, 1753] collected from the northern Sea of Marmara (Büyükçekmece, Silivri, Tekirdağ, and Şarköy) in 2019. For this purpose, element accumulation was measured using ICP-MS (Inductively Couple Plasma-Mass Spectrometer). The lowest and highest element concentrations in marine organisms are Fe (0.00 –7499.78 µg g⁻¹ dw); Pb (0.00–31.12 µg g⁻¹ dw); Cd (0.00–9.93 µg g⁻¹ dw); Cu (2.98–775.63 µg g⁻¹ dw); Cr (0.24–26.19 µg g⁻¹ dw); Mn (1.53–427.60 µg g⁻¹ dw); Al (0.00– 13,788.4 µg g⁻¹ dw); Ni (0.00–56.26 µg g⁻¹ dw); Hg (0.03–3.37 µg g⁻¹ dw); Zn (0.00–1554.23 µg g⁻¹ dw); As (0.00– 1.84 µg g⁻¹ dw); Se (0.00–0.04 µg g⁻¹ dw); V (0.13–72.54 µg g⁻¹ dw); and Co (0.00–10.98 µg g⁻¹ dw), respectively. According to these element values, Pb, Cd and Hg values were found to be higher in mussels than in crabs and exceeded the limits of the Turkish Food Codex. This study shows that more caution should be exercised when consuming marine organisms that exceed the limits of the Turkish Food Codex.