Concentrations of Heavy Metals in Sardinella gibbosa (Bleeker, 1849) from the Coast of Balochistan, Pakistan

The concentrations of cadmium, iron, lead, manganese, nickel, and zinc in muscle tissue samples taken from Goldstripe sardinella (Sardinella gibbosa Bleeker, 1849) caught off the coast of Balochistan, Pakistan, in 2009 were determined. The samples were analyzed using a Perkin Elmer AAnalyst 700 flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The mean Cd, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations in the muscle samples were 0.65 +/- A 0.05 A mu g g(-1), 23.39 +/- A 1.97 A mu g g(-1), 4.35 +/- A 0.22 A mu g g(-1), 0.61 +/- A 0.07 A mu g g(-1), 0.39 +/- A 0.04 A mu g g(-1), and 6.59 +/- A 0.33 A mu g g(-1), respectively. The Cd, Fe, Pb, and Zn concentrations did not exceed the regulatory limits, but the Mn concentrations were high enough to potentially pose health risks to humans consuming S. gibbosa. Therefore, the Mn concentrations in S. gibbosa from the Balochistan coast should be monitored regularly.