Overview
Aquino Hancco and colleagues report mercury, cadmium, and lead measurements in canned tuna and fresh fish sold at the Central Market of Lima, Peru, during 2023. The paper reports summary tables rather than full sample-level results. It also contains draft-like “figure suggestions” text inside the Results section; this page therefore treats the source as lower-tier market-surveillance evidence until independently audited.
The paper does not report methylmercury speciation. Mercury values are total mercury.
Key numbers
Sampling and method:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Canned tuna samples | 25 |
| Fresh fish market samples | 10 |
| Sampling location | Central Market of Lima, Peru |
| Sampling period | April-August 2023 |
| Sample preparation | Approximately 2.0 g homogenized tissue digested with 5 mL HNO3 and 2 mL H2O2 |
| Digestion conditions | Microwave digestion at 180 C for 30 minutes; diluted to 25 mL |
| Instrument | PerkinElmer AAnalyst 400 atomic absorption spectrophotometer |
| Wavelengths | Hg 253.7 nm; Cd 228.8 nm; Pb 217.0 nm |
| Calibration range | 0.01-1.0 mg/L |
| Validation linearity | R2 > 0.999 |
| Precision | RSD < 5% |
| Recovery | 95-104% |
| Method detection limit stated in Results | 0.008 mg/kg |
All concentrations are reported by the source in mg/kg wet weight.
Table 1, mercury in canned tuna (n=25):
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Detectable samples | 14/25 |
| Non-detect samples | 11/25 |
| Mean among detects | 0.0398 +/- 0.0230 |
| Detect range | 0.001-0.069 |
| Detect median | 0.045 |
| Detect Q1-Q3 | 0.0208-0.055 |
| Samples above 0.5 mg/kg comparator | 0/25 |
Table 2, cadmium in canned tuna (n=25, selected set):
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Detect range | 0.033-0.269 |
| Example sample M-06 | 0.033 |
| Example samples M-13/M-14 | 0.269 |
| Source comparator noted for fishery products | 0.10 |
| Source finding | Several samples above 0.10 |
Table 3, lead in canned tuna (n=25, selected set):
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Range | ND-3.113 |
| High sample M-17 | 3.113 |
| High sample M-25 | 0.242 |
| High sample M-13 | 0.229 |
| Source comparator noted | 0.30 |
| Source finding | M-17 exceeds markedly |
Table 4, metals in fresh fish market samples (n=10):
| Metal | Mean +/- SD | Min-max | Source compliance note |
|---|---|---|---|
| mercury (Hg) | 0.0451 +/- 0.1100 | 0.008-0.358 | All < 0.5; one high value 0.358 drives spread |
| cadmium (Cd) | 0.1125 +/- 0.0940 | 0.015-0.318 | M-07: 0.318 near/above international limits |
| lead (Pb) | 0.0043 +/- 0.0041 | 0.003-0.016 | Mostly at/near LOD 0.003 |
Dietary exposure and risk-characterization values reported by the paper:
| Matrix/scenario | Metal concentration used | EDI |
|---|---|---|
| Canned tuna mercury (Hg) | 0.069 mg/kg | 0.000148 mg/kg day, equivalent to 0.148 ug/kg day |
| Canned tuna cadmium (Cd) | 0.269 mg/kg | 0.576 ug/kg day |
| Canned tuna lead (Pb) | 3.113 mg/kg | 6.67 ug/kg day |
| Fresh fish mercury (Hg) | 0.358 mg/kg | 0.767 ug/kg day |
| Fresh fish cadmium (Cd) | 0.318 mg/kg | 0.681 ug/kg day |
| Fresh fish lead (Pb) | 0.016 mg/kg | 0.034 ug/kg day |
Exposure assumptions:
| Assumption | Value |
|---|---|
| Fish ingestion rate | 150 g/day, equivalent to 0.15 kg/day |
| Adult body weight | 70 kg |
| JECFA PTWI for methylmercury cited by source | 1.6 ug/kg week, approximately 0.228 ug/kg day |
| EFSA cadmium TWI cited by source | 2.5 ug/kg week, approximately 0.357 ug/kg day |
Methods (brief)
The authors collected canned tuna (Thunnus spp.) and fresh fish species, including mackerel (Scomber japonicus) and hake (Merluccius gayi), from Central Market of Lima vendors between April and August 2023. Each sample was obtained in triplicate. Samples were transported at 4 C, homogenized, acid-digested, and analyzed by AAS after blank and standard checks.
Descriptive statistics were calculated as mean +/- standard deviation. ANOVA was used to compare metal concentrations among species, with p < 0.05 used for significance.
Implications
This source contributes Peru-market occurrence context for canned tuna and fresh marine fish. The clearest product signal is a canned-tuna lead outlier (3.113 mg/kg) and cadmium values up to 0.269 mg/kg; total mercury in canned tuna was reported below the source’s 0.5 mg/kg comparator.
The paper’s summary-table format limits downstream extraction: cadmium and lead in canned tuna are reported as selected-set ranges and examples rather than full sample-level tables. The source does not support methylmercury-specific occurrence values.
Related evidence
- Canned seafood (with tin flag)
- Fish — marine, predatory (tuna, swordfish, shark, king mackerel)
- Fish — marine, non-predatory (sardines, anchovies, salmon, cod)
- Mercury
- Cadmium
- Lead
Update history
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