Determination of metals (As, Cu, Fe, and Zn) in two fish species from the Miankaleh wetland

The objective of this study was to determine the concentrations As, Cu, Fe, and Zn in the livers, gills, and muscles of vobla or Caspian roach, Rutilus caspicus (Yakovlev), and bighead goby, Neogobius gorlap (Iljin), from the Miankaleh wetland. The results showed that metal accumulation in the liver tissues was higher than in the gills and muscles for all metals, and Fe concentration was higher than Zn, Cu, and As in all the tissues studied. The concentrations of As, Cu, Fe, and Zn in the livers, gills, and muscles of bighead goby were higher than in vobla tissues, except for concentrations of As in the muscles. Fe, Cu, and Zn concentrations in the muscles were below the maximum permissible limit of the WHO and the FAO for both species, but the concentration of As in the muscles of both species exceeded the permissible limit proposed by the FAO; thus, human consumption should be limited. The levels of the other metals (Fe, Cu and Zn) were completely safe.