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- MakaleYalnız künye2026Scopus SJRQ1Nutritional value, heavy metal contamination and health risk assessment of Phalangium opilio Linnaeus, 1758 as a potential edible arachnid
Gürmeriç, Hüseyin Ender; Kurt, Pınar; Ürkek, Bayram
Edible insects and arachnids have increasingly been recognised as alternative food sources. The aim of the study was to evaluate the harvestman species Phalangium opilio (P. opilio) Linnaeus, 1758 as a new edible species. In this research, some chemical properties, fatty acid and mineral composition of the P. opilio were investigated. Additionally, the heavy metal contamination and its health risk assessment were evaluated. The fat and protein contents of the samples were 1.18% and 14.07%, respectively. The P. opilio had unsaturated fatty acids such as myristoleic, palmitoleic, linoleic and oleic acids. The P. opilio was analyzed for K, Mg, Na, Ca, Fe, Zn, Al, Mn, Se contents, estimated daily intake and contributions to the recommended daily mineral intake were calculated. The heavy metals detected in the P. opilio were Cu, Ni, Cd, Pb, As, Cr, Co and Ag. The Cd had the highest target hazard quotient value (2.16). The hazard index value of the P. opilio was 3.32 and it had a potential health risk level. Consequently, although P. opilio exhibited favourable nutritional properties, the THQ value for Cd and the cumulative HI value exceeded the recommended safety threshold, indicating a potential non-carcinogenic health risk associated with its consumption. Accordingly, considering the detected heavy metal levels and associated health risk indices, the consumption of wild-collected P. opilio should be approached with caution. © Hüseyin Ender Gürmeriç et al., 2026. Published with license by Koninklijke Brill BV. This work is published by Koninklijke Brill BV. Koninklijke Brill bv incorporates the imprints Brill, Brill Nijhoff, Brill Schöningh, Brill Fink, Brill mentis, Brill Wageningen Academic, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Böhlau and V&R unipress. Koninklijke Brill BV reserves the right to protect the publication against unauthorized use and to authorize dissemination by means of offprints, legitimate photocopies, microform editions, reprints, translations, and secondary information sources, such as abstracting and indexing services including databases. Requests for commercial re-use, use of parts of the publication, and/or translations must be addressed to Koninklijke Brill BV.
- MakaleAçık Erişim2025Scopus SJRQ1Safety and Nutritional Profile of Traditional Turkish Cheeses: A Comprehensive Study on Their Mineral Content, Heavy Metal Contamination, and Health Risks of Aho, Golot, and Telli
Erol, Seyit; Ürkek, Bayram
Traditional cheeses from Turkey's Black Sea region, such as Aho, Golot, and Telli, are widely known for their unique flavors and artisanal production methods. However, their microbiological safety, mineral content, and heavy metal contamination remain understudied. In this study, we evaluated 30 cheese samples for essential minerals and toxic heavy metals, alongside conducting a corresponding health risk assessment. The results of our mineral analysis revealed sodium (Na) levels ranging from 9787.79 to 37,902.22 mg/kg, while calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) were present at nutritionally relevant concentrations. Heavy metals such as lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) were detected, with Golot and Telli cheeses showing elevated levels (Pb: up to 1788.75 μg/kg; Hg: up to 468.71 μg/kg). Furthermore, health risk assessments, including estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), and hazard index (HI), indicated that 93.3% of samples posed negligible risks (HI < 1), though two outliers (6.7%) exceeded safety thresholds. Taken together, these findings underscore the need for improved production processes in traditional cheese production while affirming their nutritional value and overall safety for consumers.
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İncele - MakaleYalnız künye2024Scopus SJRQ1Human health risk assessment of heavy metals accumulation in different genders and tissues of whiting fish (Merlangius merlangus euxinus Nordmann, 1840) from Rize, Turkey
Şirin, Murat; Bayrak, Esra Yılmaz; Baltaş, Hasan
The contamination of fish resulting from marine pollution is a major concern, as it poses potential adverse effects on human health. Therefore, heavy metal concentrations (Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb) in different genders and tissues (muscle, liver, gonads and gills) of whiting fish collected from fish markets in Rize province were determined by Inductively–coupled plasma optic emission spectrometry (ICP–OES). The concentration ranges of heavy metals in all tissue samples, based on the overall average, were as follows (mg/kg wet weight): Cr: 0.081–0.25, Fe: 2.3–40, Ni: 0.070–0.095, Cu: 0.33–1.01, Zn: 3.0–20, and Pb: 0.015–0.043. The results indicated that the liver and gills exhibited a higher metal accumulation capacity compared to other tissues, whereas the muscle consistently displayed the lowest metal concentrations. The metal concentrations in the muscle were found to be below the maximum permissible levels set by international organizations for seafood. Additionally, calculated estimated daily intake (EDI), metal pollution index (MPI), target hazard quotient (THQ), total exposure hazard index (HI), and target carcinogenic risk (TR) indicate no potential risk to humans from whiting fish consumption.
AtıfScopus22WoS21OpenAlex21İncele - MakaleYalnız künye2020Scopus SJRQ2Distinct contamination indices for evaluating potentially toxic element levels in stream sediments: a case study of the Harşit Stream (NE Turkey)
Saydam Eker, Çiğdem
This paper revealed that the level of certain potentially toxic elements (PTEs) can be reflected in stream and terrace sediments from Harşit Stream in Northeast Turkey. The potential toxicity of these elements was established by determining and interpreting the enrichment factor (EF), contamination index (Pi), ecological risk index (Eri), modified hazard quotient (mHQ), hazard quotient (HQ), and hazard index (HI). The distribution of PTEs in the sediment samples was non-uniform along the different sites of the stream. The change in concentration was attributed to the release of these elements from different sources (agricultural activities, industrial activities, and gasoline discharges). Results indicated that the stream sediments were locally contaminated by the following PTEs: Pb, As, and Cd based on EF values; Cu, Pb, Zn, As, Cd, and Hg based on Pi; Pb, Cd, and Hg based on Eri; and Pb, As, Cd, and Hg based on mHQ. According to the HQ and HI values of Pb, risks were posed to human health especially to children. Meanwhile, terrace sediments were locally contaminated as follows: Zn and As based on EF; Cu, Pb, Zn, As, and Cd based on Pi; and Zn and Cd based on Eri. The HQ and HI values of As were found to be > 1, suggesting a high chance of health risk to children. The PTE levels and the local distribution pattern revealed that agricultural activities, industrial functions, and gas stations along the stream were probable sources of toxic element contamination in sediments from the Harşit Stream. These findings can help evaluate the potential toxicity risks affecting living organisms.
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