Assessment of lead, cadmium and mercury in seafood marketed in Puglia and Basilicata (Italy) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

Lead, cadmium and mercury are non-essential heavy metals that may interfere with biological systems, exhibiting high toxicity to human and marine biota. Due to bioaccumulation of heavy metals in the food chain, seafood may concentrate high levels of these contaminants since they are often at the top of aquatic food chain. In this study, 342 seafood samples, subdivided into four categories (bivalve molluscs, cephalopod molluscs, blue-fish and other sea fish), were analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, in order to assess the levels of lead, cadmium and mercury. Contamination levels higher than allowable limits were verified. In particular, two bivalve mollusc samples were non-compliant for lead and cadmium, four cephalopod mollusc samples non-compliant for cadmium and 14 samples (4 blue-fish and 10 other sea fish) non-compliant for mercury. This survey confirmed the necessity to perform routinely controls related to this type of food inspection.