Concentrations of Total and Inorganic Arsenic in Fresh Fish, Mollusks, and Crustaceans from the Gulf of Thailand

Abstract

Concentrations of total and inorganic arsenic were determined in 120 samples of eight marine animals collected from the Gulf of Thailand between March and May 2008. Two species with the highest annual catch from each of four marine animal groups were analyzed: fish (Indo-Pacific mackerel and goldstripe sardine), bivalves (green mussel and blood cockle), cephalopods (pharaoh cuttlefish and Indian squid), and crustaceans (banana prawn and swimming crab). Concentrations of inorganic arsenic based on wet weight ranged from 0.012 μg/g in Indian squids to 0.603 μg/g in blood cockles. Average percentages of inorganic arsenic with respect to total arsenic ranged from 1.2% in banana prawns to 7.3% in blood cockles. Blood cockles also exhibited the highest levels of total arsenic (5.26 ± 2.01 μg/g) and inorganic arsenic (0.352 ± 0.148 μg/g). The levels of inorganic arsenic in the study samples were much lower than the Thai regulatory limit of 2 μg/g (wet wt) and hence are safe for human consumption.