Objective To understand and assess the contamination levels of lead and mercury in seafood products and seawater from coastal aquicultural areas of Hainan Province.
Methods Samples of seafood products (fish, shrimp, and shellfish) and seawater were collected from mariculture farms in 9 coastal areas of Hainan Province, and the levels of lead and total mercury were determined by ICP-MS. Single factor index method and Nemerow's index method were applied to evaluate the contamination levels of lead and mercury.
Results The positive and qualified rates of lead and total mercury in the seafood product samples were all 100.00%, with a range of 3.10-310.00 μg/kg for lead and 5.30-130.00 μg/kg for total mercury, respectively. The median levels of lead ranked from high to low as shellfish, fish, and shrimp (P < 0.05), and the median levels of total mercury ranked as fish, shrimp, and shellfish (P < 0.05), respectively. The ranges of lead and total mercury levels in the seawater samples were 0.35-11.10 μg/L and 0.35-4.60 μg/L, with 50% and 100% of the seawater samples exceeding relevant national limits, respectively. According to the estimated single factor pollution index, the products of shellfish and fish were slightly polluted by lead and mercury respectively. According to the estimated Nemerow's index, 75% of the seawater samples were moderately or seriously polluted. In addition, the lead level of shrimp was positively correlated with that of seawater samples (r=0.857, P=0.007).
Conclusion Though light contamination of lead and mercury are found in the seafood samples from Hainan coastal areas, attentions should be paid to the serious lead and mercury pollution in seawater.
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