Selenium and mercury balance in sea bream obtained from different living environments in Turkey: a risk assessment for the consumer health

Abstract

The selenium health benefit value (Se-HBV) is the criterion developed for revealing nutritional values or the risks related to mercury (Hg) toxicity which can emerge in relation to consumption of fish. In this study, the conditions of Se and Hg elements in the muscular tissues of sea bream (Sparus aurata) living in different environments in Mugla province were examined. In addition, a benefit/risk assessment was performed in terms of consumer health with the calculation of Se-HBV. In this context, muscular tissues of sea bream obtained from wild species (WS), offshore marine cages species (OS), and soil ponds species (SS) were dissolved with microwave wet digestion and the concentrations of Se and Hg (mg/kg wet weight) were determined by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). According to the obtained results, the highest mean Se level was determined in SS (0.43 ± 0.02 mg/kg) followed by WS (0.35 ± 0.03 mg/kg) and OS (0.34 ± 0.02 mg/kg). The highest mean Hg concentration was detected in WS (0.09 ± 0.02 mg/kg) followed by OS and SS as 0.05 ± 0.01 mg/kg respectively. As a result of risk assessment conducted with Se-HBV, positive values were determined for each one of three sea bream groups