Monsoon Effect on Heavy Metal and Chemical Composition in Parastromateus niger of the Oman Sea: Health Risk Assessment of Fish Consumption

This study aimed to evaluate the bioaccumulation of heavy metals (copper, zinc, and lead) and chemical compositions (fat, protein, moisture, and ash) in the Parastromateus niger muscle of the Oman Sea in pre-monsoon and post-monsoon. An atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used to determine heavy metal concentrations in fish muscle tissue. Chemical composition contents were measured using the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) methods. Zinc was the most abundant heavy metal in two seasons (0.077 ± 0.005 μg/g), followed by copper (0.033 ± 0.005 μg/g) and lead (0.015 ± 0.005 μg/g). The mean concentrations of all heavy metals of muscle in pre-monsoon were higher than in post-monsoon. The concentrations of Cu, Zn, and Pb were lower than the maximum permissible limits (MPL) of international standards for human consumption established by FAO, FAO/WHO, WHO, and MAFF. The protein and fat content in fish muscle collected in pre-monsoon was higher than in post-monsoon. A significant difference between protein, fat, moisture, and ash values was recorded in two seasons ( P