Human health risk assessment of heavy metals via consumption of fish from Kao Bay

Assessment of Essential and Potentially Toxic Elements in Water and Sediment and the Tissues of Sciaena deliciosa (Tschudi, 1846) from the Coast of Callao Bay, Peru

The lorna drum Sciaena deliciosa is a coastal demersal species and one of the underlying artisanal fisheries in some areas of Peru, and is also a source of protein for Peruvian coastal dwellers. The investigation addresses concern about the environmental impact on this fish species and the potential risks to human health through the consumption of contaminated seafood. This research endeavors to assess the concentration of potentially toxic and essential elements in the muscle and liver tissues of S. deliciosa, in addition to the presence thereof in water and sediment capture areas on the coast of Callao, Peru. The study revealed that, in water samples, Ag, Ni, and Zn exceed Peruvian standards, but were below international standards, and Ba, P, Se, and Sn exceed international standards. In the sediments, As, Cd, Pb, Fe, and Zn were above international standards. In the fish, S. delicious muscle demonstrated As, Hg, and Pb exceeding at least one international standard. In the liver, As, Hg, Pb, and Cu exceed international standards. The study approach increased accuracy in risk assessments, offering crucial insights into the interplay between heavy metal pollution, water quality, and animal health, informing risk management strategies. Future studies can explore the long-term effects of heavy metal exposure on different organisms and consider their cumulative impact on health.

Association between mediterranean diet and metal(loid) exposure in 4-5-year-old children living in Spain

Even relatively low levels of metals exposure may impact health, particularly among vulnerable populations such as infants and young children. However, little is known about the interplay between simultaneous metal exposures, common in real-life scenarios, and their association with specific dietary patterns. In this study, we have evaluated the association between adherence to Mediterranean diet (MD) and urinary metal concentrations individually and as an exposure mixture in 713 children aged 4-5-years from the INMA cohort study. We used a validated food frequency questionnaire to calculate two MD indexes scores: aMED and rMED. These indexes gather information on various food groups within the MD and score differently. To measure urinary concentrations of cobalt, copper, zinc, molybdenum, selenium, lead, and cadmium as exposure biomarkers, we used inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), coupled with an ion chromatography (IC) equipment for arsenic speciation analysis. We applied linear regression and quantile g-computation, adjusted for confounders, to analyse the association between MD adherence and exposure to the metal mixture. High adherence to MD such as the quintile (Q) 5 MD was associated with higher urinary arsenobetaine (AsB) levels than Q1, with β values of 0.55 (confidence interval - CI 95% 0.01; 1.09) for aMED and 0.73 (CI 95% 0.13; 1.33) for rMED. Consumption of fish was associated with increased urinary AsB but reduced inorganic arsenic concentrations. In contrast, the aMED vegetables consumption increased urinary inorganic arsenic content. A moderate level of adherence to MD (Q2 and Q3) was associated with lower copper urinary concentrations than Q1, with β values of -0.42 (CI 95% -0.72; -0.11) for Q2 and -0.33 (CI 95% -0.63; -0.02) for Q3, but only with aMED. Our study, conducted in Spain, revealed that adhering to the MD reduces exposure to certain metals while increasing exposure to others. Specifically, we observed increase in exposure to non-toxic AsB, highlighting the significance of consuming fish/seafood. However, it is crucial to emphasize the necessity for additional efforts in reducing early-life exposure to toxic metals, even when adhering to certain food components of the MD.

Identification of a Green Algal Strain Collected from the Sarno River Mouth (Gulf of Naples, Italy) and Its Exploitation for Heavy Metal Remediation

Heavy metals (HMs) can induce both chronic and acute harmful effects on marine and freshwater biota. The environmental impact of HMs in freshwater, seawater, soil, and wastewater can be limited using microbes, including microalgae, that are able to remove metals from environmental matrices. Indeed, they can passively adsorb and actively accumulate these persistent pollutants within their organelles, limiting their detrimental effects on cellular metabolism. The Sarno River is a 30 km long freshwater stream located in Southern Italy, polluted by partially untreated municipal, agricultural, and industrial wastewaters. In spite of this, microalgal cultures from Sarno River or Sarno River Mouth have never been established. In the present study, we isolated a green algal strain from the Sarno River Mouth and determined its ability to grow in polluted seawater containing different concentrations of cadmium, lead, or zinc. This strain was found to be able to accumulate these elements within its biomass in a dose-dependent manner. Growth inhibition experiments confirm the relatively low toxicity of Cd and Pb below 50 µM, while algal growth was seriously affected in Zn-amended media. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study focused on the ability of microalgae from Sarno River Mouth to tolerate and uptake HMs.

Dietary intake of trace elements from commercially important fish and shellfish of Thoothukudi along the southeast coast of India and implications for human health risk assessment

The concentrations of eight trace elements (chromium, cobalt, copper, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead) in14 commercially important fish and shellfish collected from Thoothukudi along the southeast coast of India was investigated using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in order to assess the health risks associated with their consumption. The concentration of trace elements ranged from 0.001 to 39.5 μg/g. The estimated weekly intake of cadmium in seven fish and shellfish (0.0081-0.0996 mg/kg body weight) were above the provisional tolerable weekly intake set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. The risk assessment analysis indicated that there was non- carcinogenic risk upon lifetime consumption of rock crab, C. natator (TTHQ >1) and carcinogenic risks upon lifetime consumption of S. jello, P. semisulcatus, P. sanguinolentus C. natator, Uroteuthis duvaceli, Sepia pharaonis and Cistopus indicus due to cadmium exposure indicating a potential health risk to the exposed consumers.

Source of detritus and toxic elements of seabed sediments from Acapulco Bay (southern Mexico) and their ecological risk

Total concentrations of Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, Zn, and As together with Sr and Pb isotopic compositions of seabed sediments from the worldwide famous tourist destination of Acapulco Bay, Guerrero (southern Mexico) were determined to reveal the origin of detritus and toxic elements (TEs), their potential natural and anthropogenic sources, elemental distribution and their ecological risk. Sediments derive entirely from the nearby Acapulco Granite and their concentrations of TEs are variable and rather low, although, several are above the Local Geochemical Baseline in some sites of the bay. The enrichment factor (EF) and Pb isotopes indicate that TEs derive from the Acapulco Granite with contributions of an anthropogenic source represented, very likely, by ship-bottom paints. Wastewaters are a significant source of Pb and Cu. The ecological risk of TEs is low and only Cu represents a moderate ecological risk in a few sites.

Determination of Pharmaceuticals, Heavy Metals, and Oxysterols in Fish Muscle

The present study aimed to assess the levels of 98 multi-class pharmaceuticals including cardiovascular drugs, antidepressants, hypnotics, antibiotics, and sulfonamides occurring in the muscle tissue of fish caught in the Baltic Sea. The following fish species were collected: perch (Perca fluviatilis); flounder (Platichthys flesus); turbot (Scophthalmus maximus); plaice (Pleuronectes platessa); cod (Gadus morhua callarias); bream (Abramis brama); crucian (Carassius carassius). Additionally, in the examined fish muscle the levels of heavy metals and trace elements were determined (As; Ag; Au; Ba; Cd; Co; Cr; Cu; Hg; Li; Mo; Ni; Pb; Sb; Se; Sn; Tl; V) as well as the levels of cholesterol and its 5 derivatives (7-ketocholesterol; 7α-hydroxycholesterol; 7β-hydroxycholesterol; 5β,6β-epoxy-cholesterol; 5α,6α-epoxycholesterol). In the performed studies 11 out of 98 examined pharmaceuticals were detected in fish muscle. The levels of pharmaceuticals in fish muscle varied depending on the species. In the tissues of bream and crucian, no pharmaceuticals were found. Mercury, lead and arsenic were detected in the muscles of all examined fish. Based on the hazard factor for Hg, Pb, Cd, Ni (target hazard quotient, THQ < 1), it was found that the consumption of the studied fish does not constitute a health risk. However, the THQ for As remained >1 indicated possible risk from those metals. In the examined fish muscle the total cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) level of oxysterols were, respectively: 6.90 (cod) μg/g-4.18 μg/g (perch), which corresponded to 0.7-1.5% of cholesterol. The main COPs evaluated were 7-ketocholesterol (0.78 ± 0.14-1.79 ± 0.06 μg/g), 7β-hydroxycholesterol (0.50 ± 0.04-3.20 ± 2.95 μg/g) and 5β,6β-epoxycholesterol (0.66 ± 0.03-1.53 ± 0.66 μg/g). The assessment of health hazards due to contaminations is necessary, which may help to introduce national legislation and global standards aimed at reducing or even eliminating the exposure to contaminants.

Assessment of Ecological and Target Hazard Risks of Mercury Contaminated Water Along Makassar Coastal Areas, Indonesia

INTRODUCTION: The coastal area of Makassar city is a vulnerable area to various pollutants, most of which are generated by anthropogenic activities, such as home industry products, gold shop waste products, and household waste, starting from the coastal area in Barombong to the coastal villages in the Ujung Tanah subdistrict, with the highest level of mercury (Hg) concentration in the coastal area. Another source of potential Hg pollution in this area can be due to community activities at the fish landing base (PPI, Paotere). AIMS: The aims of this research were to analyze the Hg content in surface water collected from coastal areas of Makassar City and to analyze the target hazard risk effect due to the excessive exposure of water from the recognized as ecologically contaminated area. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This research applied an observational analytic design of cross-sectional studies. Direct measurement and laboratory sample analyses were conducted as well as a questionnaire was applied to obtain relevant, precise, and accurate data. Respondents’ characteristics related to education, habit, lifestyle, occupational smoking habits, and dietary were requested by the administered household interview questionnaire. Assay of the laboratory to analyze the magnitude of Hg in surface water was conducted. Respondents with volunteered based selected using stratified random sampling methods. RESULTS: Results of the analysis of Hg distribution in surface water used kriging interpolation method showed that the highest concentration of Hg was in stations (22 and 23) around Area of Anjungan Losari Beach and Area of Anjungan Mandar Losari with 1.0013 and 1.0012 mg/l, respectively. While the lowest were in station 2 with 0.0011 and in station 26 Pelindo Jetti area with 0.0013 mg/l, respectively. Ecological Risk assessment indicated that the areas with the highest risk of ecology were such as Near Dermaga Kayu Bangkoa with 9.8, the Tourism area of Karaeng Batjo Tomb 9.7, and Tanjung Bayang beach with risk ecology 9.1 units, respectively. Furthermore, the magnitude of Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) values were 0.0093 in station 1 in Tourism area of Karaeng Batjo Tomb and 0.0089 units in station 24 of Port of Sukarno Hatta, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: To conclude, Hg levels of contamination in water are still be tolerated in the current; however, its accumulate that potentially harmful in the near future. Ecological risk value was more than one that indicates at risks, although the THQ values are still below than the one that indicates safe.