Arsenic levels in fish and shellfish from the North Sea

Overview

Falconer and colleagues reported total arsenic in fish and shellfish landed at Scottish fishing ports and in plaice from major North Sea spawning grounds. The paper compares arsenic levels across seafood species and areas, linking higher arsenic levels to benthic diets. Arsenic is reported as total arsenic only; no inorganic arsenic speciation is provided.

Key numbers

The Results section states that arsenic in edible fish tissue ranged from 0.2 to 89.9 µg g-1 wet wt. In general, flatfish contained more arsenic than roundfish; maximum values reported in the Results prose were plaice 89.9, witch 44.2, lemon sole 19.5, and common dab 11.6 µg g-1 wet wt.

Table III reports mean arsenic levels in selected fish species in µg g-1 wet wt:

The Results section states that arsenic residues in shellfish tissue ranged from 0.4 to 38.2 µg g-1 wet wt. Table II reports selected shellfish means and ranges in µg g-1 wet wt, including edible crab white meat 22.3 (8.0-38.2), edible crab brown meat 16.4 (7.9-25.4), periwinkle 16.1, lobster tail 6.4 (3.9-17.0), squid 5.9 (4.0-7.2) in the North Minch, nephrops 5.8 in the North Minch, scallop 1.0 (0.8-1.2), and queen 0.9.

Additional plaice sampling reported arsenic residues from 0.40 to 70.5 µg g-1 wet wt. The highest values were from the German Bight, with maximum 70.5 µg g-1, while the lowest values were from the Clyde, with maximum 15.4 µg g-1. For plaice older than 10 yr, mean values were Flamborough 25.9 µg g-1 (+ 9.90 SD), German Bight 19.4 µg g-1 (+ 18.4 SD), Moray Firth 9.9 µg g-1 (+ 5.9 SD), and Ling Bank 12.1 µg g-1 (+ 6.6 SD).

Methods (brief)

The 1975 survey sampled commercially important fish and shellfish from selected Scottish fishing ports representing major fishing areas. Each fish sample normally consisted of 10 individuals; fish were filleted, skinned, finely chopped, and analyzed as edible tissue. Shellfish samples consisted of edible tissue from 50 individuals, bulked and homogenized. Additional plaice samples were collected by research and commercial vessels in 1977, 1980, and 1982; individual plaice were weighed, measured, and aged using otoliths. Total arsenic was determined by a modified hydride-generation atomic absorption method after wet digestion of 1 to 3 g wet tissue.

Implications

This source supplies total-arsenic occurrence context for North Sea fish and shellfish, with a strong species and feeding-habit gradient. It can support seafood, fish, and shellfish routing for total arsenic on a wet-weight basis. The paper should not be used as inorganic-arsenic evidence; its analytical method determines total arsenic, and the discussion addresses diet/ecology rather than arsenic speciation.

Update history

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