Total, organic, and inorganic arsenic in some commercial species of crustaceans from the Mediterranean Sea (Italy)

Total, organic, and inorganic arsenic were measured in the flesh of differe nt crustacean species: Parapenaeus longirostris, Aristeus antennatus, Plesi onika martia, and Nephrops norvegicus, species extensively commercialized a nd widely consumed as food. Among the different species of crustaceans, the highest mean value of total arsenic was detected in N. norvegicus (45.00 m ug g(-1) dry wt), followed by P. martia (40.76 mug g(-1) dry wt), A longiro stris (34.00 mug g(-1) dry wt), and A. antennatus (15.45 mug g(-1) dry wt). In all the species examined, most of this element was present as organic c ompounds, while inorganic arsenic was only a very modest percentage (3.5 to 5.7%) of the total arsenic present. There is a substantial epidemiological evidence that inorganic arsenic may cause lung and skin cancer. For this r eason, the Joint Expert Committee of the FAO-WHO recommended a maximum acce ptable daily intake of inorganic arsenic for humans of 2 mug/kg of body wei ght. The estimated daily intake was below this limit; therefore, no direct hazard for human health due to the consumption or this seafood was found.