Heavy metals ın the medıterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis lamarck, 1819) from sınop coasts (Black Sea, Turkey)

Abstract

Mytilus galloprovincialis is a commonly used bioindicator species for assessing environmental pollution. The objective of this study was to investigate the concentrations of heavy metals, including Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Lead (Pb), Arsenic (As), and Mercury (Hg), in the soft tissues of Mytilus galloprovincialis obtained from the inner harbor and pier areas influenced by land-based pollutants in the Sinop Peninsula of the Black Sea. Mussel samples were collected from the Sinop Black Sea coast at 0-5 m (surface) between June and August 2022. The study revealed that Hg had the lowest metal concentration, at 0.13 mg/kg. Zn exhibited the highest concentration, with a value of 262.58 mg/kg, followed by Cu (54.69 mg/kg), Pb (7.48 mg/kg), and As (5.41 mg/kg). The metal concentrations were ranked as Zn > Cu > Pb > As > Cd > Hg. The obtained metal values were compared against various standards. It was observed that the Zn, Cu, Pb, As, and Cd levels in mussel meat exceeded the specified standard limits. These findings underscore the need to accurately identify the sources of land-based pollutants from coastal areas in the Black Sea and promptly implement appropriate measures and controls.