Toxic metal (Pb, Cd, As and Hg) and organochlorine residue levels in hake (Merluccius merluccius) from the Marmara Sea, Turkey

Toxic metals (Pb, Cd, As and Hg) and organochlorine residue levels were measured in hake (Merluccius merluccius) from the Marmara Sea. Biota samples were collected by a trawling cruise of the R/V ARAR in August and December 2009. The concentrations of toxic metals varied between Pb, 3.23-14.4; Cd, <0.01-2.14; Hg, 0.01-0.18 and As, 0.01-0.21 \upmu g g ^-1 dry wt. Pb levels in the Marmara Sea were found to be higher than the critical limits set by the both Turkish Ministry of Environment for Aquatic Products (1 upmu g g ^-1 wet wt.) and European countries (2.0 upmu g g ^-1, UNEP 1985). In contrast, As and Hg levels were found to be lower than the critical limits for two periods. Cd contents of fish from the Marmara Sea were also comparable to or slightly lower than contents of fish from the Southern Black Sea Shelf. The results of organochlorine residues ranged between total HCH, <0.05 and 99 ng g ^-1; endrin, <0.001 and 381 ng g ^-1; alpha-endosulphan, <0.05 and 90 ng g ^-1; beta-endosulphan, <0.05 and 15.3 ng g ^-1; o,p DDE, 3.5 and 52.4 ng g ^-1; p,p DDE, 7.4 and 139 ng g ^-1; o,p DDD, 1.5 and 90.2 ng g ^-1 and p,p DDD, 2.7 and 86 ng g ^-1 wet weight. The rivers for the distribution of organochlorine levels in the Marmara Sea ordered from highest to lowest as Dil R. > Susurluk R. > Biga R. > Gönen R. The high levels of o,p and p,p DDE, and o,p and p,p DDD compounds, which are metabolites of DDT, indicate its illegal use. Toxic metal and organochlorine residue levels of fish are significantly higher than levels from the Mediterranean Sea.