Lead content in commercial crustaceans of the Barents Sea

This study aims to identify the lead content in the muscle and hepatopancreas of the main commercial crustaceans from the Barents Sea.

The material for this study was the samples of red king crab Paralithodes camtschaticus, snow crab Chionoecetes opilio and northern shrimp Pandalus borealis caught during the research cruises conducted by «PINRO» from 2014 to 2024.

This study examines the samples of muscles collected from crustaceans, as well as the samples of hepatopancreas collected crabs.

Novelty: for the first time, a comparative analysis of Pb content in Kamchatka crab, snow crab, and northern shrimp from the Barents Sea was performed using a large volume of material. Natural Pb levels in the muscles of the studied crabs and northern shrimp from the Barents Sea were proposed, which should be considered as a regional background.

Methods used: the lead in samples was detected by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry using Shimadzu (Japan) spectrophotometer. Processing of statistical data and diagram plotting were performed in MS Excel and Statistica 13 application package. Results: It was shown that the average Pb content in the muscle and hepatopancreas of the studied aquatic organisms did not exceed the established permissible content standard of 10 mg/kg wet weight. A higher average Pb content was noted in shrimp muscle compared to crabs. The Pb content in the hepatopancreas of the studied crabs was 2.6 and 8.5 times higher than that in muscle. An assumption was made about pronounced species- specific Pb levels in the muscle of the snow crab opilio. Estimated background levels of Pb content in the muscles of the red king crab, snow crab, and northern shrimp of the Barents Sea are proposed, which can be used to identify anthropogenic impacts.

Practical relevance: the obtained results were used to estimate the compliance with safety standards for commercial invertebrates established by the technical regulations of the Customs Union accepted in Russia (ТР CU 021/2011 «On food safety»).

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