Determination of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb and CD) in squid (loligo chinensis and loligo sibogae) from Mersing, Endau and Rompin

This study was carried out to determine the concentration of selected heavy metals (lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd)) in whole cleaned squid tissues included mantle, arm and tentacle for Loligo Chinensis and Loligo sibogae species. Squid samples were get from fresh market at Mersing, Endau and Rompin, where only mature squids within the maturity size-range of 13 to 15 cm were used. From this study the trend of heavy metals recorded were Pb>Zn>Cu>Cd; Concentration of L.chinensis at Endau (186.933 ± 38.629 μg/g, 92.580 ± 1.531 μg/g, 23.387 ± 4.296 μg/g, and 2.767 ± 2.184 μg/g) while L.sibogae (166.333 ± 42.609 μg/g, 64.163 ± 0.221 μg/g, 6.730 ± 0.168 μg/g and 1.853 ± 0.177 μg/g). At Mersing L.chinensis concentrations were (195.767 ± 12.061 μg/g, 20.313 ± 0.186 μg/g, 2.880 ± 0.746 μg/g, and 0.497 ± 0.416 μg/g) while L.sibogae (206.667± 4.631 μg/g, 18.443 ± 0.111 μg/g, 2.863 ± 0.496 μg/g, and 0.173 ± 0.060 μg/g). However L.chinensis at Rompin were (185.300 ± 14.076 μg/g, 63.953 ± 0.229 μg/g, 13.243 ± 0.047 μg/g, and 0.750 ± 0.212 μg/g) while L.sibogae (193.567 ± 19.864 μg/g, 63.600 ± 0.216 μg/g, 5.957 ± 0.071 μg/g, and 1.840 ± 0.190 μg/g). From this study, it was discovered that Zn and Cu concentrations in squid tissues were lower than the permissible limit set by Malaysian Food Regulation (1985), as well as other countries. Meanwhile Pb and Cd (only in certain species) concentrations in squid tissue were higher than the permissible limit. The average Metal Pollution Index (MPI) for both L.chinensis and L.sibogae species from Mersing shown that the heavy metals concentration in squid tissues was at low contamination followed by medium concentration from Rompin and high concentration from Endau.