CADMIUM, LEAD, COPPER AND MERCURY LEVELS IN FRESH AND CANNED BIVALVE MUSSELS TAGELUS-DOMBEII (NAVAJUELA) AND SEMELLE-SOLIDA (ALMEJA) FROM THE CHILEAN COAST

Samples of bivalve mussels Tagelus dombeii and Semelle solida (Navajue las and Almejas chilenas, respectively) caught at different sites alon g the coast of Chile were analysed for Cu, Cd, Hg and Pb content. The analyses were performed on samples of fresh and canned products, class ified according to their length. Each Navajuela sample was divided int o two subsamples. One was dissected and the visceral tissue, branchial tissue and gonads were removed, while the other sample consisted of t he whole tissues. The heavy metal concentration of fresh mussel sample s was compared with the same samples as canned products. The data show that for both species there are no significant differences in the met al concentration with the mollusc size in fresh samples and canned pro ducts. It has been shown that there is no contribution to the trace me tal content (Cd, Pb and Hg) in canned Navajuelas and Almejas mussels a s a consequence of the industrial process. A clear and significant red uction in the Cd and Cu content was observed in Navajuelas without vis ceral tissue and Almejas without mantle tissue for both the fresh and canned products. This is consistent and is corroborated with the high metal concentrations found in the visceral and mantle tissue.