Health Risk Assessment of Some Heavy Metals from Canned Tuna and Fish in Tijuana, Mexico

Abstract

Background: A main route of heavy metal exposure is the consumption of contaminated food or water, resulting in negative health effects. Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the health risk related to consumption of canned tuna and fresh fish by evaluating chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) concentrations. Methods: Forty-eight samples of tuna canned in water and 20 samples of different fish species sold in the city of Tijuana were used. Samples were digested by microwave-assisted digestion. Mercury was measured using the cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS) method (United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) method 7419b) and Pb, Cd, and Cr were measured using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS) (USEPA method 7010). Health risk assessment was conducted calculating the total hazard quotients (THQs) using the USEPA region III risk-based concentration table for adults. Results: The wet weight heavy metal concentrations in the canned tuna for Hg were 0.005 to 1.17 mg/kg, for Pb were 0.07 to 0.32 mg/kg, for Cd were from not detected (ND) to 0.007 mg/kg, and for Cr were 0.02 to 0.65 mg/kg. In the fresh fish samples, concentrations of Hg were 0.14 to 2.14 mg/kg, for Pb were 0.04 to 0.32 mg/kg, for Cd were 0.001 to 0.003 mg/kg, and for Cr were 0.07 to 0.38 mg/kg. The highest Hg concentrations were found in species of mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) and soupfin shark (Galeorhinus galeus). THQ values calculated were below one for all the samples. Conclusions: The results suggest that the consumption of canned tuna and fish in Tijuana does not represent a health risk for the general population in terms of exposure.

Determination of the Level of Selected Elements in Canned Meat and Fish and Risk Assessment for Consumer Health

“…Lead damages and destroys erythrocytes; reduces resistance; weakens the bones; blocks the nervous system; inhibits the absorption of iodine, necessary for correct functioning of the thyroid gland; forms toxic deposits in the organism, causing numerous disorders and diseases, [41]; 0.053-0.7396, 0.0195-0.0489 [18]; 0.07-0.22 [72]; <LOQ-1.14 [17]; 0.0001-0.0003 [52]; 0.0378-0.5243 [73]; 0.60-0.62 [74]; 0.088-0.410, [43]; 0.005-1.17 [39], * 0.140-0.327 in d.w. [75], * 0.094-0.466 [76], * 0.16-0.53 [77] 0.50 and 1.0 (tuna) [26] As Cd 0.0033-0.0754 0.0046-0.0720 [16]; 0.002-0.07 [78]; 1.00-1.80 [66]; 0.08-0.66 [41]; 0.0-53.9 [18]; 0.019 [79]; <LOQ-0.09 [17]; 0.08 [36]; 0.0032-0.0834 [73]; 0.020-0.025 [74]; <LOQ-0.007 [39]; 0.03-0.12 [37]; <LOQ-0.18 [40]; 0.19-17.05 [80], * 0.008-0.191 in d.w. [75], * 0.021-0.082 [76], * 0.01-0.21 [77] 0.050 and 0.10 (sardine, tuna) [26] Pb 0.011-0.296 0.0126-0.0726 [16]; 0.007-0.51 [78]; 3-4.60, 3.60-4.00 [66]; 0.14-0.92 [41]; 0.02-1.37 [35]; 0.0-31.1 [18]; 0.11 [79]; <LOQ-4.13 [17]; 0.10 [36]; <LOQ-3.19, 0.35-2.10, 0.25-1.51 in d.w. [42]…”

“…e recommended daily intake of manganese should not exceed levels from 3.0 to 9.0 mg [34]. According to the literature, Cr and Mn contents in canned fish were found to be as follows: in the muscles of fish from Turkey, 0.19-2.80 and 0.08-3.88 mg·kg −1 [35]; in canned tuna and mackerel from the USA, Cr 0.0-0.067 and 0.01-0.30 mg·kg −1 , Mn 0.0-0.001 and 0.0-0.001 mg·kg −1 [18]; in canned tuna from Turkey, Cr 1.08 mg·kg −1 , Mn 0.90 mg·kg −1 [36]; in the canned fish samples from Iran, Cr 0.90-1.87 mg·kg −1 , Mn 1.20-2.70 mg·kg −1 [37]; in canned tuna from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 0.0029 for Mn, 0.0005 for Cr [38]; in the canned tuna from Mexico, for Cr 0.02 to 0.65 mg·kg −1 , 0.07 to 0.38 mg·kg −1 in the fresh fish samples [39]; in canned fish from China, Cr 0.08-1.28 mg·kg −1 [40]; in canned tuna from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Cr 0.10-0.57 mg·kg −1 [41]; in muscles of fresh fish from Iraq, Mn 0.11-1.86 mg·kg −1 dry weight, in the muscles of frozen fish species 0.13-4.50 mg·kg −1 dry weight, and in canned fish 0.13-0.81 mg kg −1 dry weight [42]; in canned tuna from Ghana, Mn 0.001-0.057 mg·kg −1 [43]. Cr content in Bangladesh fish ranged from 2.09 to 7.18 mg·kg −1 , and Mn from 23.23 to 25.65 mg·kg −1 [44].…”

“…Because the value of THQ ≤ 1, there is no probability of unfavorable effects occurring [9]. According to the literature data, the values of THQ for heavy metals were as follows: in fish from Bangladesh, Pb from 0.00 to 0.19, As from 0.01 to >1, Cd from 0.01 to >1 [62]; in canned tuna from Mexico, Pb up to 0.00027, Hg up to 0.1889, Cd up to 0.00003 [39]; in canned tuna from Italy, Pb up to 0.0043, Cd up to 0.102, Hg up to 1.441 [63]. Maximum values of THQ per individual albacore (T. alalunga), caught from NASSA and SASSA areas (Greece), for Hg, Cd, and Pb were respectively, 5.040, 0.359, and 0.075 [64].…”

Risk of Mercury Ingestion from Canned Fish in Poland

“…The obtained mean mercury contents in this study are more or less comparable with the results reported by others, where the bonito species was investigated. For instance, Rodriguez-Mendivil et al [ 31 ] determined H TOT in canned tuna. The highest value which was achieved in the mentioned work reached 278 µg/kg, which was similar to the highest mean result reported in this work.…”

Physico-chemical, microbiological and organoleptic assessment for the stored frozen products of tuna

“…Tuna is one of the most consumed fish worldwide and it is marketed as chilled, frozen, smoked, canned, breaded and battered, salted and dried forms (Murthy et al, 2014). Tuna meat has numerous health benefits due to its high-quality protein content, low saturated fatty acids and high content of omega-3(n-3) fatty acids which known to support human health (Rodriguez-Mendivil et al, 2019). Omega-3 fatty acids have known to reduce cholesterol levels, which is known by the hypocholesterolic effect (anti-atheriosclerosis), consequently reduces the incidence of heart diseases and stroke (Patterson, 2002;Daviglus et al, 2002;Ikem and Egiebor, 2005).…”