Background and objective: Metal pollution has always been a major cause of contamination of environment and is considered as a major concern for food health. Worldwide, sturgeons are an important source of food and income. In this study, the human health risk due to consumption of caviar and muscle of Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus) were evaluated by measuring the concentrations of cadmium, nickel, vanadium and zinc in caviar and muscle samples. Material and Methods: A total number of 24 samples of Persian sturgeon were collected from two important sturgeon fishery zones in Guilan and Mazandaran Provinces and were stored at −20°C until chemical analysis. About one gram of each sample dried was added to 10 ml of concentrated (65%) supra-pure HNO3 (Merck, Darmstadt, Germany) in a Teflon PTFE tube and then it was incubated for 1 h at 40 °C in a hot block digester, followed by heating at 140 °C for 3 h. The samples digested were diluted to a measured volume using double deionized water. Samples were filtered through Whatman No. 1 filter paper, and the filtrate was stored until metal determination. Results: Mean Cd, Ni, V and Zn concentrations in muscle tissues were 0.005 ± 0.002, 0.06 ± 0.03, 0.13 ± 0.04 and 7.49 ± 3.07 µg/g wet weight basis respectively. The mean Cd, Ni, V and Zn concentrations in caviar samples were 0.007 ± 0.006, 0.09 ± 0.07, 0.12 ± 0.15 and 21.23 ± 5.75 µg/g wet weight basis respectively. Conculation: The mean concentrations of Zn, Cd and V in caviar and muscle samples were less than the permissible limits proposed by the United Kingdom's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF 2000) and World Health Organization (W.H.O.). The guidelines for Cd, V and Zn are 0.2, 0.5 and 50 µg/g wet weight respectively. Therefore, the measured concentrations for these particular metals are below the published guidelines, and the levels would appear not to constitute any threat to the human population that may consume sturgeon or caviar obtained from these study locations.

Keywords: Risk assessment, Caviar, Muscle, Persian sturgeon, Cadmium, Nickel, Vanadium, Zinc

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