Trace Elements in Mussels from Montenegrin Coast: A Risk for Human Health

Abstract

This study presents a review of available data on trace element contents in soft tissues of mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) collected from the coastal area of Montenegro, starting with the first research in this area (2005–2007) until the recent years. The aim of this review was to compare the results obtained for mussels during different research periods (autumn 2005–spring 2007, autumn 2007–autumn 2009, autumn 2014–autumn 2015) and to assess the human health risks caused by exposure to trace elements via consumption of these mussels. By two approaches for the human health risk assessment (HHRA), considering oral reference doses by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and provisional tolerable intakes by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), it was shown that the levels of Co, Pb, and Cd were the limiting factors for the consumption of mussels from this coastal area during the whole investigated 10-year period. Besides these elements, during the first period As content was the limiting factor for mussel consumption as well. Also, the results obtained for Li via target hazard quotient (THQ) values in the period 2014–2015 are an indicator of possible mussel contamination by this element, which has not been previously studied in M. galloprovincialis. Since the consumption of seafood is one of the primary sources of human exposure to trace elements, the fact that for Boka Kotorska Bay it was noticed a decrease in average concentrations of most elements over time is particularly important.