Assessment of Heavy Metal Accumulation in Some Fish Species Offered for Sale in Bingöl Province

Heavy metal pollution in aquatic environments is considered a significant environmental problem on a global scale. Metal pollution leads to metal accumulation in fish tissues; this situation poses serious risks to human health through the consumption of contaminated fish. Within the scope of this study, four different fish species (Sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax; Sea bream, Sparus aurata; Mirror carp, Cyprinus carpio and Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss) were obtained from a commercial fish seller operating in Bingöl province. The analysis of selected heavy metals, primarily cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and nickel (Ni), was performed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). In trout, carp, sea bream, and sea bass samples analyzed by ICP-MS (He-KED mode), the elements As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb were detected at varying levels. Significant differences in metal accumulation were observed between species, with relative increases in Cr, Ni, and Pb elements particularly noted in carp and sea bass samples. These findings indicate that heavy metal pollution in aquatic ecosystems is transferred to biological tissues through the food chain and poses a potential risk to human health.