Risk of heavy metal ingestion from the consumption of two commercially valuable species of fish from the fresh and coastal waters of Ghana

Abstract

BackgroundThe need to evaluate the human health safety of fishery resources remain urgent in the mist of the ever-increasing fear of heavy metal toxicity from the consumption of Ghana’s fisheries resource, as a consequence of pollution from several anthropogenic activities including artisanal gold mining. Nevertheless, the bigeye grunt (Brachydeuterus auritus) and Bagrid catfish (Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus) remain commercially valuable fish species in West Africa and continue to attract high patronage.MethodForty-five specimens each of C. nigrodigitatus and B. auritus collected from the Weija Dam and the Tema Fishing Habour in Ghana, between June and September 2016, were analysed for seven heavy metals using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry.ResultLead and Cadmium were below detection in all samples while Cu was not detected in B. auritus. Levels of the remaining metals (mg kg-1) were below FAO/WHO maximum permissible limits in fish and occurred in the rank order Se (3.5) > Zn (2.34) > Cu (0.59) > As (0.37) > Hg (0.19) in C. nigrodigitatus and Se (2.97) > Zn (2.28) > Hg (0.31) > As (0.21) in B. auritus. Only As in C. nigrodigitatus recorded Estimated Weekly Intake (EWI) greater than FAO/WHO Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI). Also, As in C. nigrodigitatus and Hg in B. auritus had Targeted Hazard Quotient (THQ) greater than 1 for individuals consuming the fishes on daily basis and therefore, raising concerns. However, for both species of fish, cancer risk of As was 1 in 10,000,000,000 and modified Health Benefits values of Se (HBVSe) were positive indicating the health risks that might accompany Hg exposure would be negated. Since toxicity depends on the concentration and quantity of a pollutant consumed, safe maximum consumption rate of C. nigrodigitatus based on As concentrations was 0.21 mg per day and that of B. auritus was 0.058 mg per day for Hg. With an average of 0.227 kg fish per meal of an adult human, these translated into not more than 24 C. nigrodigitatus and nine (9) B. auritus meals in a month but because fish is consumed at 0.0685 kg per person per day in Ghana, these values respectively translates to 93 and 30 safe days of consumption per month.ConclusionAt the rate of 0.0685 kg fish per person per day that fish is consumed in Ghana, the consumption of the two species of fish in Ghana would essentially be of little or no consequence to consumers.

Assessment of Potential Health Risks Associated with the Intake of Heavy Metals in Fish Harvested from the Largest Estuary in Colombia

“…HQ for Zn indicates no potential risk, although concentration levels are higher than the other analyzed metals. It is also well known that Zn is considered in the literature as an essential element, and its dietary excess, in general, is not considered a widespread health concern [51]. HQ for Hg in the different population groups is very close to the reference value.…”

Metal Concentrations of Water and Food Cooked in Various Cooking Pots

“…Estimated Daily Intake were compared with Provisional Maximum Tolerable Daily Intake (PMTDI) [FAO/WHO,2011, NRS 2010, EU/EC 2015/2016JECFA, 2010) as the case may be. Estimated Weekly Intake (EWI) were converted to Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) by dividing EWI by 7 (Gbogbo, et al (2018).…”

Trace metals contamination potential and health risk assessment of commonly consumed fish of Perak River, Malaysia

“…Although some essential trace metals like Fe, Cu, Zn play important roles in body functions, most of the nonessential trace metals, such as Cr, Pb, Hg, and Cd, are usually considered as toxic due to their harmful effects after entering human biological systems [ 3 ]. These trace metals usually accumulate in the human body through the consumption of aquatic animals, mostly fish and shellfish, which act as an intermediate sink to such trace metals [ 4 ].…”