Mercury and arsenic in green tiger shrimp from the Persian Gulf

Mercury and arsenic pollution has been recognized as a potential environmental and public health problem for over 40years. The major source of exposure to mercury and arsenic for humans is the ingestion of sea food. Concentrations of mercury and arsenic in the muscle samples of green tiger shrimp (Penaeus semisulcatus) from the Persian Gulf were determined by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. Concentrations of metals in muscle samples were 49-115 mu gkg(-1) for mercury, 115-131 mu gkg(-1)for arsenic, with means of 82.7 and 251.6 mu gkg(-1), respectively. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference of mercury and arsenic concentration in shrimp muscles between selected stations (Bushehr, Khuzestan, and Hormozgan provinces). No significant difference was found among heavy metal contents of male and female shrimps. The results of this study indicate that the green tiger shrimp from the Persian Gulf have concentrations well below the maximum permissible levels for mercury (500 mu gkg(-1)) and arsenic (6000 mu gkg(-1)), according to international standards, with no health risk of consumers.