Metal content in Mullus surmuletus in the Canary Islands (North-West African Atlantic)

The contents of 3 heavy metals (Al, Cd, and Pb) and 10 trace elements (B, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mg, Ni, Sr, V, Zn) were determined by means of atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-OES) in 117 specimens of red mullet, Mullus surmuletus. The specimens were taken in two of the Canary Islands; two locations on the island of Tenerife: Candelaria on the northeast coast and Punta de Hidalgo on the north coast and Arguineguin, on the south coast of the island of Gran Canaria. No significant differences were found between the two sites in Tenerife regarding the metal content of the specimens studied, but differences were found between the specimens captured in Arguineguin and the two sites in Tenerife, the latter having higher concentrations of the analyzed metals.