Arsenic, cadmium and lead in fresh and processed tuna marketed in Galicia (NW Spain): Risk assessment of dietary exposure

Highlights: • In tuna, both fresh and processed, the lead content was negligible. • Total As and Cd levels on processed tuna were lower than fresh tuna. • The order of As and Cd concentrations was: olive oil > natural > pickled sauce • These observed results do not pose a risk to the consumer (EU Legislation). • THQs showed that there is no cancer risk for the tuna consuming population. Currently, metal bioaccumulation in fish is increasing and is a cause of concern due to toxicity. Total arsenic, cadmium and lead concentrations in fresh and processed tuna (110 samples) marketed in Galicia (NW Spain) were determined by ICP-MS spectrometry. The average concentrations of As and Cd, 3.78 and 0.024 mg kg⁻¹ w.w., respectively, in fresh tuna were statistically significantly higher than those in processed tuna (p < 0.001). The contents in processed tuna were 0.295–7.85 mg kg⁻¹ for As and ND-0.045 mg kg⁻¹ for Cd. The Pb content was negligible in both types of tuna. In canned tuna, decreasing As and Cd concentrations were observed in different preparation-packaging media: olive oil > natural > pickled sauce. Of the two species studied in canned tuna, Thunnus alalunga showed statistically significant higher levels both for As 1.28 mg kg⁻¹ (p < 0.001) and Pb 0.013 mg kg⁻¹ (p = 0.0496) than Thunnus albacares. No samples surpassed the limits set by the EU for Cd and Pb. The limit for As in fish has not been established, but the arsenic contents in fresh tuna reported here are important, as they are among the highest reported in the literature. Considering public health in children and adults with respect to the investigated metals, the estimated daily intakes (EDIs) did not exceed the tolerable intakes. No chronic systemic risk was found since all the target hazard quotients (THQs-TTHQs) were far below 1 (critical value), and the carcinogenic risk (CR) for As did not exceed the acceptable value of 10⁻⁵. Thus, tuna consumption in the Galician diet does not pose a risk for different population groups in terms of these studied metals/metalloids.