Abstract

In the present study, the heavy metal concentration (Cd, Cu, Pb, Ag, Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni & Zn) in skin and muscle were studied in silver-cheeked toadfish Lagocephalus sceleratus collected from Antalya Bay. The heavy metals concentration ranges in muscle tissue were Cu (0.276-0.518 μg/g); Fe (5.996-21.367 μg/g); Mn (0.601-2.633 μg/g); Zn (51.472-86.635 μg/g); Cd (0.045-0.139 μg/g); Co (0.541-0.833 μg/g); Cr (0.205-0.361 μg/g); Ni (0.108-0.765 μg/g) and Pb (1.464-2.560 μg/g). The heavy metal concentration ranges in skin were Cu (0.168-0.209 μg/g); Fe (1.738-4.467 μg/g); Mn (0.012-0.414 μg/g); Zn (3.337-6.451 μg/g); Cd (0.113-0.217 μg/g); Co (0.432-0.739 μg/g); Cr (0.101-0.148 μg/g); Ni (0.038-0.217 μg/g) and Pb (0.342-0.584 μg/g). The concentrations of Zn and Pb in the muscle tissues exceeded the acceptable levels for a food source and are not safe for human consumption. Further, this is the first report on distribution of heavy metals of Lagocephalus sceleratus from Antalya Bay, northern Levantine Sea, in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea south of Antalya Province, Turkey.