Distribution of Cd, Pb, As and Hg in Oyster Tissue, Sediment and Water in Lingayen Gulf, Philippines

摘要

Seafood safety has become a primary consideration in managing fish and other fish products in the Philippines. Being an archipelagic country, the majority of its fishery resources are derived in major coastal fishing grounds including bays and gulfs.The multitude of food and environmental hazards which may possibly harm living organisms, especially from human sources may come from microbiological and chemical contaminants, the latter including heavy metals. Caution should therefore be employed especially for heavy metals that are capable of being absorbed by fish, shellfish and other consumable aquatic resources which can be vectors of contamination.Lingayen Gulf is a major traditional fishing ground in the Philippines (Silvestre and Hilomen 2004) that sustains subsistence and commercial fishing, as well as vast aquaculture activities using fish pens, cages and traps. The coastal communities of Lingayen Gulf also support the beach and resort tourism industry of Pangasinan Province. The Gulf is the major source of oysters in the Northern Philippines. Since the start of oyster industry in 1979, major production comes from the municipal farming grounds of Lingayen Gulf and are regularly distributed in Pangasinan and its neighboring provinces (BAS 2009). The oyster industry has continuously provided a cheap source of protein available to a large array of consumers. Hence it is imperative that food safety be one of the primary considerations in managing the industry and the coastal environment where these resources are derived.