Monitoring of Environmental Hg Occurrence in Tunisian Coastal Areas

Amel Jebara, Vincenzo Lo Turco, Caterina Faggio, Patrizia Licata, Vincenzo Nava, Angela Giorgia Potortì, Rosalia Crupi, Hedi Ben Mansour and Giuseppa Di Bella
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Amel Jebara: Research Unit of Analysis and Process Applied to Environmental, APAE UR17ES32 Higher Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology Mahdia, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia
Vincenzo Lo Turco: BioMorf Department, University of Messina, Polo SS Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy
Caterina Faggio: Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
Patrizia Licata: Department of Veterinary Science, University of Messina, Polo SS Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy
Vincenzo Nava: BioMorf Department, University of Messina, Polo SS Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy
Angela Giorgia Potortì: BioMorf Department, University of Messina, Polo SS Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy
Rosalia Crupi: Department of Veterinary Science, University of Messina, Polo SS Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy
Hedi Ben Mansour: Research Unit of Analysis and Process Applied to Environmental, APAE UR17ES32 Higher Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology Mahdia, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia
Giuseppa Di Bella: BioMorf Department, University of Messina, Polo SS Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 10, 1-12

Abstract: Total mercury (Hg) was determined in 450 environmental samples (seawater, sediment plant and fish) from five Mahdia coastal areas (Tunisia). Tolerable Weekly Intake% (TWI) values, according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), were calculated based on the average metal concentration in fish and the average weekly fish consumption rate. Hg was accumulated mainly in fish and in Posidonia oceanica leaves. Hg in sediment ranged from 1.88 ?g/kg dry weight (d.w.) to 7.48 ?g/kg d.w., while it was between 0.32 ?g/kg and 0.19 ?g/kg in seawaters. Our study showed high concentration in Posidonia oceanica in S3 (plant = 16.76 ± 4.48 ?g/kg d.w.) as compared to those in S4 sites (plant = 5.33 ± 0.05 ?g/kg d.w.). Concentrations for S. aurata and S. salpa in the Rejiche area exceeded the EC 1881/2006 legislation with values of 1.9 mg/kg and 2.5 mg/kg, respectively, and consumers may be exposed to high concentrations of Hg that exceeds the EFSA. The results showed that the fish species should be constantly monitored due to their TWI% of 154.5% for S. aurata and 209.8% S. salpa respectively.

Keywords: Mahdia coastal; Hg; Posidonia oceanica; Sarpa salpa; Sparus aurata; tolerable weekly intake (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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