Trace elements in heart tissue of wild and fattened bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus L. 1758) in the Turkish part of the Eastern Mediterranean

WOS: 000286040100090The objective of this research was to analyze four essential elements, copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe), one potentially essential element, nickel (Ni), and one non-essential element, lead (Pb), in heart tissues between wild/fattened and female/male bluefin tuna in the eastern Mediterranean near Turkey. Hundred individual samples of wild and fattened tuna, including 50 female and 50 male fish, were investigated. Wild fish were obtained from Antalya Bay and the fattened samples were taken from a tuna fish farm in Ildir Bay (Izmir) during the spring. The mean trace elements of wilds were determined to be: Pb, 0.051; Cu, 0.725; Mn, 0.123; Ni, 0.130; Zn, 3.398; and Fe, 6.459 (mu g/g wt wt). Values for fattened fish were as follows: Pb, 0.044; Cu, 0.558; Mn, 0.125; Ni, 0.107; Zn, 3.328; Fe, 6.749 (mu g/g wt wt). In comparing wild and fattened fish, all differences were significant except those of Mn and Zn (p<0.05). On the other hand, in terms of gender, mean trace element contents in the heart tissue of wild and fattened female BFTs, respectively, were Pb, 0.052, 0.043; Cu, 0.762, 0.571; Mn, 0.125, 0.130; Ni, 0.146, 0.105; Zn, 3.401, 3.506; and Fe, 6.511, 6.583. In addition, these parameters for wild and fattened male BFTs, respectively, were as follows: Pb, 0.050, 0.045; Cu, 0.688, 0.545; Mn, 0.121, 0.120; Ni, 0.114, 0.109; Zn, 3.395, 3.150; and Fe, 6.407, 6.914. In terms of gender, the Pb, Cu, and Ni differences between wild female and fattened female samples were significant (p<0.05). Furthermore, all differences between wild males and captive males were significant except that of Mn (p