Lead monitoring in Mugil cephalus (North-West Mediterranean, Italy)

The concentrations of Lead (Pb) in muscles of flathead mullet (Mugil cephalus) collected from Bocca di Magra, La Spezia (Ligurian Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Italy), were determined after microwave digestion by atomic absorption spectrometry and electrothermal atomisation (ETA-AAS). The average Pb concentration was 0.082 ppm and the levels varied in the following ranges: 0.020-0.240 ppm. None of the 63 tested samples exceeded the European regulatory limits fixed by 1881/2006/UE and 420/2011/UE. The estimated weekly intakes by humans were also evaluated for possible consumers healthy risks. Pb concentrations in fish muscles were in 59% of cases higher than Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) set by JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives) in 1993 and corresponding to 0.025 mg/kg body weight. In fact, in 37 out of 63 analysed samples the Pb level was higher than 0.06 mg/kg.