Human exposure to trace metals and arsenic via consumption of fish from river Chenab, Pakistan and associated health risks.
This study provided the first hand data of trace elements into fish muscles (N = 65) collected from river Chenab in Pakistan during 2013, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). We monitored the health risk associated with consumption of contaminated fish of river Chenab, by the local population. The mean concentrations (μg/g, wet weight), in descending order were: Zn (35.5-54.4), Cu (1.38-4.57), Mn (2.43-4.5), As (0.23-1.21), Cr (0.21-0.67), Ni (0.14-0.34), Pb (0.14-0.31), Co (0.09-0.12), Cd (0.07-0.12) with higher concentration to be observed in the herbivore fish species (i.e., Cirrhinus reba and Catla catla). The levels of trace elements in different fish species found in this study were compared with similar data worldwide, and with the international standards for consumption. The concentration (μg/g) of arsenic in many cases (>65%) exceeded the FAO/WHO expert committee on food additives permissible limits. From the human health point of view, this study highlights that the local inhabitants, (i.e., fisher folk communities and population frequently consuming fish at about 100 g/day) along the river Chenab are exposed chronically to arsenic pollution with carcinogenic (10-4to 10-6) and non-carcinogenic (THQ>1) risks, especially from the intake of Cirrhinus reba.
Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, PR China.
Ambreen
A
Alamdar
Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, PR China; Public Health and Environment Division, Department of Bio Sciences, COMSATS Institute of Information and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Syed Ali Musstjab Akber Shah
SAMAS
Eqani
Department of Environmental Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Nida
N
Hanif
Department of Environmental Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Syeda Maria
SM
Ali
Dipartiemnto Scienze della Terra e dell'Ambiente, Via Ferrata 1, Pavia, Italy.
Mauro
M
Fasola
Public Health and Environment Division, Department of Bio Sciences, COMSATS Institute of Information and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Habib
H
Bokhari
Aristotle University, Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Chemical and Environmental Technology, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece. Electronic address: katsogia@chem.auth.gr.
Ioannis A
IA
Katsoyiannis
Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, PR China. Electronic address: hqshen@iue.ac.cn.
Heqing
H
Shen
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis*; D003530:Cyprinidae; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D009132:Muscles / Q000737:chemistry; D010154:Pakistan; D018570:Risk Assessment; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001151:Arsenic
Arsenic; Fish; Human health risk; ICP-MS; River Chenab; Trace metals