Volume 75 (2025) Issue: 2025 No#4

Monitoring of heavy metals content in fish muscle tissue along the Sava river in Serbia

Author(s): Radmila Marković, Svetlana Grdović, Jelena Janjić, Dragoljub Jovanović, Dejan Perić, Vladimir Dimitrijević, Stamen Radulović, Dragan Šefer

Keywords:heavy metals, fish, environmental pollution, meat quality, nutrition

The aim of this study was to examine the presence of heavy metals (Pb, Cd and Hg) in the muscle tissue of fish from the Sava River, from two locations: upstream of Belgrade near Obrenovac and in Belgrade. In order to determine the content of heavy metals in fish muscle tissue, 196 samples of different types of fish were collected: Prussian carp, carp, perch and catfish, during the fall and spring of 2023 – 2025. The content of heavy metals was determined by means of atomic absorption spetrometry. The highest average content of Pb (0.282±0.068 mg/kg) and Hg (0.303±0.116 mg/kg) was found in the muscle tissue of catfish, while the lowest average content of Pb and Hg was determined in the muscle tissue of perch (0.088±0.025 mg/kg), (0.090±0.038 mg/kg), respectively. The highest average content of Cd was recorded in the muscle tissue of carp (0.103±0.030 mg/kg), while the lowest was found in the muscle tissue of catfish (0.032±0.015 mg/kg). In all tested samples, the determined concentrations of Pb and Hg were below the maximum allowed concentrations regulated by the Rulebook of the Republic of Serbia and European Union regulations. The determined concentrations of Cd in the muscle tissue of carp, catfish and Prussian carp were on several locations above the maximum allowed concentration of 0.05 mg/kg of fresh fish. Fish from this part of the Sava river cannot be considered completely safe for human consumption, especially when it comes to species that show a tendency to accumulate Cd. Overall, seasonal variations were more evident than spatial differences, with several species showing moderately higher metal concentrations in spring, particularly in 2025, indicating subtle but recurring seasonal tendencies. Differences between the territories upstream of Belgrade and within Belgrade were generally small, although mercury levels were consistently higher at the downstream location, suggesting a mild but stable spatial influence.