Potential human health risk from consumption of metallic elements-contaminated benthic mollusks from Don Hoi Lot sandbar, Thailand.
Environmental pollutants have raised more concerns for human health risk, especially via consumption of contaminated food. Terrestrial as well as aquatic animals are capable of bioaccumulation a variety of toxic substances including metallic elements. With increasing anthropogenic activities along the coastal areas, living organisms have more chances to be exposed to released contaminants. In this study, seven metallic elements (Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) were determined in sediments and water from Don Hoi Lot sandbar, Samutsongkharm province, Thailand. Potential human health risks via the consumption of two benthic bivalves Solen corneus (Larmarck, 1818) and Meretrix meretrix (Linnaeus, 1758) were also estimated using the target hazard quotients (THQs). The variations of metallic element concentrations were apparent between wet and dry season. Fe was the predominate metallic element in the sediment and the remaining were Mn>Pb>Zn>Ni>Cu>Cd. Whereas metallic element concentrations in water were Pb>Ni>Fe>Zn>Cu>Mn>Cd. PCA analysis confirmed that the contaminations of these metallic elements were from Mae Klong river surface water. Most Pb THQ values in both S. corneus and M. meretrix were >1 indicating that human health risk is of concern. However, the sum of THQs of an individual metallic element should also be considered since multiple metallic elements exposure is so common.
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Thailand.
Kraisiri
K
Khidkhan
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Thailand.
Kanjana
K
Imsilp
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Thailand.
Amnart
A
Poapolathep
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Thailand.
Saranya
S
Poapolathep
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Thailand. Electronic address: fvetpmt@ku.ac.th.
Phanwimol
P
Tanhan
D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia; D000074341:Dietary Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013785:Thailand; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Human health risk; Meretrix meretrix; Metallic elements; Solen corneus; THQ