Trace Element Accumulation and Human Health Risk Assessment in Cultured Fish Species from the Southern Black Sea

In this study, the concentrations of thirteen trace elements (aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn)) were determined in the edible muscle tissues of three commonly consumed fish species (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Dicentrarchus labrax, and Sparus aurata). Specimens were obtained from farmed stocks harvested and delivered to fish markets in Sinop, Türkiye, on the day of collection, with sampling carried out on a monthly basis throughout April, May, and June 2024. Zinc and iron exhibited the highest concentrations across all species, while toxic trace elements remained at notably low levels, with Cd (0.005–0.006 mg/kg), Hg (0.015–0.018 mg/kg), and Pb (0.010–0.011 mg/kg) remaining strictly below the European Union maximum permissible limits of 0.05, 0.5, and 0.3 mg/kg, respectively. In addition, a comprehensive human health risk assessment was performed based on a mean daily per capita fish consumption of 19.72 g. The Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) for all evaluated elements and the cumulative Hazard Index (HI), which ranged from 0.0794 to 0.0818 across species, were well below 1.0, indicating negligible non-carcinogenic risk. Carcinogenic risks, evaluated via the Risk Index (RI), were negligible for Cr (1.35–2.35 × 10−7) and well within acceptable bounds for iAs (2.77–4.13 × 10−6). The quantitative outcomes of this investigation suggest that under the evaluated conditions, trace element concentrations in these aquaculture products remain within safe baseline levels, contributing meaningful data on food safety and ecological monitoring within the southern Black Sea region.