Mercury, arsenic, cadmium and lead in lobster (Panulirus homarus) from the Persian Gulf.

Concentrations of four toxic metals including mercury, arsenic, lead and cadmium in lobster (Panulirus homarus) muscles from the Persian Gulf were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Heavy metals concentrations in muscle samples were 32-73 μg/kg for mercury, 118-275 μg/kg for arsenic, 379-1120 μg/kg for lead and 101-401 μg/kg for cadmium, with means of 48.7 μg/kg, 184.3 μg/kg, 629.4 μg/kg and 2 50.6 μg/kg, respectively. Most of the heavy metals studied in the edible muscle tissue in P. homarus ranged within the recommended limits for human consumption, except lead, which was found to be above the acceptable level and represents a health risk for consumers.