Assessment of potential human health risks in aquatic products based on the heavy metal hazard decision tree

Abstract

Background Naturally existing and human-produced heavy metals are released into the environment and cannot be completely decomposed by microorganisms, but they continue to accumulate in water and sediments, causing organisms to be exposed to heavy metals. Results This study designs and proposes heavy metal hazard decision trees for aquatic products, which are divided into seven categories including pelagic fishes, inshore fishes, other fishes, crustaceans, shellfish, cephalopods, and algae. Based on these classifications, representative fresh and processed seafood products are at the root of the heavy metal hazard decision trees. This study uses 2,107 cases of eating 556 cooked fresh or processed seafood product samples. The constructions of the proposed decision trees consist of 12 heavy metals, which include inorganic arsenic (iAs), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), strontium (Sr), thallium (Tl), and zinc (Zn). The heavy metal concentrations in cooked fresh and processed seafood product samples are subjected to a food safety risk assessment. Conclusions The results indicate the relationships among the seven categories of aquatic products, the relationships among 12 heavy metals in aquatic products, and the relationships among potential human health risks. Finally, the proposed heavy metal hazard decision trees for aquatic products can be used as a reference model for researchers and engineers.

Detection of Cadmium(II) in Aquatic Products Using a Rolling-Circle Amplification-Coupled Ratio Fluorescent Probe Based on an Aptamer–Peptide Conjugate

“…Rapid industrialization in recent years has led to increases in the use of Cd 2+ . Cadmium-containing pollutants in the aquatic environment are becoming increasingly common, exacerbating Cd 2+ contamination of aquatic products. − To regulate the market and ensure the safety of food for humans, the World Health Organization set a standard of limited detection amount of Cd 2+ in drinking water as 0.003 mg L –1 and the Chinese government has established a maximum residue limit for Cd 2+ in food (0.0001 mg L –1 for aquatic products). , However, Cd 2+ overload in aquatic products is still common. − Food has been reported to be one of the major sources of Cd 2+ exposure. Cd 2+ were detected in seaweeds, crustaceans, shellfish, and cephalopods .…”