Metals and metalloid in eight fish species consumed by citizens of Bogota D.C., Colombia, and potential risk to humans

Abstract

The risk imposed upon society by consumption of foods contaminated with metals and metalloids is an environmental problem attributed to the increasing number of mining extraction activities currently underway in Colombia. The aim of the current study was to determine concentrations of mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and a metalloid arsenic (As) found in the species of most consumed fish species by citizens of Bogota D.C. (Colombia), and the consequent potential risk to human health was also calculated. Muscle samples of 8 fish species were obtained from 203 individuals collected through 2014. The highest metal concentrations detected were as follows: Pb in Oncorhynchus sp. (0.0595 mg/kg), Cd and Hg in Pimelodus sp. (0.0072 and 0.0579 mg/kg, respectively), and As in Scomberomorus sp (0.0471 mg/kg). Further, the levels of metal accumulation from consumption of fish were calculated utilizing the metal pollution index (MPI), with elevated values noted in Pseudoplatystoma sp (0.06 mg/kg), followed by Scomberomorus sp. and Centropomus sp. (0.05 and 0.04 mg/kg, respectively). The multiple species exposure index (Em.j) denotes the level of exposure associated with consumption of various contaminated fish species, and this level occurred in decreasing order as follows: As > Pb > Cd > Hg. The multiple chemical exposure index (Ej.m), which accounts for exposure to multiple metals, identified Prochilodus sp. as the species displaying the highest level of exposure per consumption (8 × 10(-6) mg/kg-d). The target hazard quotient (THQ) for human health indicated high levels for Hg and Cd in Prochilodus sp. (0.026 and 0.005, respectively), Pb in Oncorhynchus sp (0.025), and As in Pseudoplatistoma sp. and Centropomus sp. (0.023). Data emphasize the need for adequate nationwide public policies that promote assessment of exposure levels and potential adverse health risks associated with dietary consumption of different fish species in Colombia.

The aging kidney and the nephrotoxic effects of mercury

“…The most common route of human exposure, however, is via the ingestion of food, primarily fish, contaminated with MeHg (Nunes et al 2014; 2014; Wolff et al, 2016; Lopez-Barrera and Barragan-Gonzalez, 2016). The flesh of large predatory fish, such as northern pike, swordfish, shark, and some species of tuna may contain high levels of CH 3 Hg + and represents a major source of Hg exposure (Siedlikowski et al 2016; Burger and Gochfeld 2011).…”

Mercury Levels and Risk Implications Through Fish Consumption on the Sinaloa Coasts (Gulf of California, Northwest Mexico)

“…These results were comparable to MeHg exposures in other regions, such as children (0.18 μg Hg/kg/d) and adults (0.14 μg Hg/kg/d) from Japan (Zhang et al., ) and 1‐ to 5‐year‐old children (0.11 μg Hg/kg/d) from the United States (Tran, Barraj, Smith, Javier, & Burke, ). In contrast, in a study considering the consumption of eight fish species in Colombia (López‐Barrera et al., ), a low E m,j (0.01 μg/kg/d) associated with low consumption rates (74 g/d) and low mercury concentrations (0.016–0.0933 μg/g) was reported.…”

Fish consumption during menarche, menstruation, pregnancy and postpartum in Sikuani women from Meta, Colombia

“…Carnivorous fish also bioaccumulate greater amounts of heavy metals than omnivorous, detritivores, insectivorous, and herbivorous species. Previous studies about mercury, methylmercury, lead, cadmium, and metalloid arsenic concentrations on fish from Colombian rivers have evidenced higher levels of these heavy metals in the flesh of carnivorous fish when compared to non-carnivorous ones [31–33]. The amount of heavy metals on Colombian fish exceed the maximum levels recommended by the World Health Organisation and the consumption of fish from mining regions have been directly associated with high concentrations of heavy metals detected in humans [34].…”