DETERMINATION OF SOME ELEMENTS (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Se, Zn, Al, Cd, Pb) IN COMMERCIALLY-AVAILABLE FISH OIL SUPPLEMENTS BY INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMAOPTICAL EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY

Metals are essential (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Se, Zn) and non-essential (Al, Cd, Pb) elements for metabolism. These elements can be found naturally in the marine environment and aquaculture grown in this environment, and their amounts can increase with the effects of environmental contamination. Fish oil is an important supplement produced from fish liver and muscles. In this study, the amounts of 10 different elements in fish oil offered for sale in Turkey (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, S, Zn, Al, Cd, Pb) were determined. A total of 40 fish oils were used in the study. Total element content was determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The minimum, maximum and average values, respectively, of the samples analyzed in μg/g were; Cr: (0.300; 5.550; 0.896±0.156); Cu: (0.075; 17.175; 3.976±0.768); Fe: (4.580; 69.900; 17.125±2.330); Mg: (2.395; 233.450; 24.874±6.083); Mn: (0.040; 1.325; 0.184±0.046); Se: (0.380; 6.460; 1.369±0.166); Zn: (0.025; 513.500; 52.550±22.003); Al: (0.510; 9.800; 3.353±0.451); Cd: (0.005; 0.070; 0.024±0.002); Pb: (0.0; 0.230; 0.074±0.010). In the fish oils, Zn and Mg were found to be the most abundant elements among the analyzed elements. It was found that the fish oil supplements analyzed did not exceed the limits specified for Food Supplements in Turkish Food Codex Contaminant Regulations in terms of Cd and Pb heavy metals.