• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.52 no.5
• /
• pp.452-460
• /
• 2019

Exposure to heavy metals through the consumption of contaminated seafood poses a health risk to humans. In Korea, seafood imports are increasing with consumption, with the largest increase in imported seafood coming from Russia. Peter the Great Bay and the Razdolnaya River are both major fisheries and protected areas under the Northwest Pacific Action Plan located near Vladivostok, Russia. This study analyzed heavy metal [cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), total mercury (tHg), and total (tAs), and inorganic (iAs) arsenic] concentrations in shellfish and crustaceans collected from these areas. Except for iAs, the major toxic heavy metal concentrations of the samples met the national standards (Cd, 0.024-0.982 and 0.003-0.379 mg/kg; Pb, 0.021-1.533 and 0.002 mg/kg; tHg, 0.006-0.015 and 0.036-0.097 mg/kg). The tAs concentrations of three samples exceeded the Russian standard (5 mg/kg, wet weight), whereas the iAs concentrations were extremely low (ND-0.033 mg/kg). Compared with the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, the percentages of PTWI of Cd, Pb, and tHg were 0.239%, 0.001-0.049%, and 0.013-0.302%, respectively. These findings reveal that there is no potential health risk by heavy metals through the consumption of Russian seafood obtained in the surveyed areas.