EMERGENT LIFE SCIENCES RESEARCH - Vol 6, Issue 1, Published on 30, June 2020

Pages: 34-49
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Human health risk assessment of heavy metals in major carp (Labeo rohita) of Mahananda river in Northern India

Author: Arbind Kumar, Anil Kumar, S. K. Jha

Category: Research Article

Abstract:

This study determined the levels of heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn, Cd, and Pb) in muscle tissues of Labeo rohita from river Mahananda and estimated the consumption rate limits and health risk posed by fish ingestion. The metals followed the magnitude order of Zn > Cu > Pb > Ni > Cr > Cd. The levels of studied metals were below the permissible limits set by WHO (1995) and USFDA (1993), while Cd and Pb had a mean value of 0.64 ± 0.017 and 1.135 ± 0.013 μg/gw respectively, which was above the FAO (1983) and FAO/WHO (1989) guidelines. The estimated tolerable weekly intake (ETWI) was 10 times below the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) sea by JECFA (2003).To estimate human health risk target hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI) and target cancer risk (TCR) were calculated and discussed. THQ for individual and combined metals were lower than one representing no non-carcinogenic risk to consumers. The TCR of Cr, Ni, Cd, and Pb for intake fish was 7.3x10^-7, 1.07 x10^-7, 1.85 x 10^-7, and 6.67 x 10^-7 respectively was below the acceptable carcinogenic risk (10^-6 -10^-4) set by USEPA (2010) showing no carcinogenic risk to consumers. The correlation matrix indicated positive and significant correlations among studied metals, establishing chemical affinity. Significant relationships were found between metal levels in fish with weight and length. Relative risk showed that potential health risk could be attributed only to Cd (45.05%) level. The study concluded that consumption of the muscle tissues of L. rohita may not pose a health risk to human health at the levels of the analyzed metals, but should be consumed moderately to prevent bioaccumulation of the metals especially Cd.

Keywords: fish consumption, fish muscle, health risks assessment, heavy metals

DOI URL: https://doi.org/10.31783/elsr.2020.613449