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Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Quantification of Heavy Metals and Other Inorganic Contaminants on the Productivity of Microalgae
Published on: July 10, 2015
Seasonal Variations in Heavy Metal Concentrations in Mussels (Mytilus chilensis) from Southern Chile: Health Risk
Ociel Muñoz-Fariña1, Analese Roman-Benn2, Carmen Lopez-Joven3
1Food Science and Technology Institute (ICYTAL), Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia 5090000, Chile.
Abstract:
Mytilus chilensis is considered an important food source for the Chilean population and represents a considerable fraction of its aquacultural production, mainly in southern Chile's coastal regions. This study aimed to assess the concentrations of total arsenic (tAs), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd), their bioaccessibility, and associated health risks in M. chilensis from the Valdivia River Estuary (VRE) in the Los Ríos Region and the Reloncaví Fjord (RF) in the Los Lagos Region. The metal concentrations were quantified using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). The concentrations of tAs, Cd, and Pb were 6682 ± 2018, 1592 ± 742, and 1208 ± 639 ng/g d.w., respectively. Variations in the metal concentrations were observed across areas, months, and sampling points but remained below national and international limits. No correlation was found between the metal concentrations and environmental parameters. The bioaccessibility percentages were tAs (68 ± 10%), Cd (45 ± 21%), and Pb (15 ± 4%). The tAs, Pb and Cd levels in M. chilensis from southern Chile do not represent a risk to human health.
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