Trace element levels in the sharks and rays of Amvrakikos Wetlands National Park, Greece

Abstract

Amvrakikos Wetlands National Park is a semi-enclosed embayment in northwest Greece and the last known megafauna hotspot in the country, hosting populations of 10 shark and ray species. The area is highly eutrophic, with pollution being the main threat to the marine environment. In this work, we estimated the levels of cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), copper (Cu) and nickel (Ni) in the flesh of six shark and ray species caught in Amvrakikos Gulf to investigate their levels and understand the potential health risks associated to their consumption. In total, 61 samples were collected and analysed. Significantly higher concentrations were detected on average for Cu. Embryos were found to accumulate higher levels of copper, suggesting maternal offloading. The relatively high levels of Cu are related to agriculture and sewage treatments and are by the findings of other studies in the Amvrakikos Gulf.