Total, organic, and inorganic arsenic in some commercial species of crustaceans from the Mediterranean sea (Italy)

Abstract

Total, organic, and inorganic arsenic were measured in the flesh of different crustacean species: Parapenaeus longirostris, Aristeus antennatus, Plesionika martia, and Nephrops norvegicus, species extensively commercialized and widely consumed as food. Among the different species of crustaceans, the highest mean value of total arsenic was detected in N. norvegicus (45.00 μg g-1 dry wt), followed by P. martia (40.76 μg g-1 dry wt), P. longirostris (34.00 μg g-1 dry wt), and A. antennatus (15.45 μg g-1 dry wt). In all the species examined, most of this element was present as organic compounds, while inorganic arsenic was only a very modest percentage (3.5 to 5.7%) of the total arsenic present. Then is a substantial epidemiological evidence that inorganic arsenic may cause lung and skin cancer. For this reason, the Joint Expert Committee of the FAO-WHO recommended a maximum acceptable daily intake of inorganic arsenic for humans of 2 μg/kg of body weight. The estimated daily intake was below this limit; therefore, no direct hazard for human health due to the consumption of this seafood was found.