Trophic transfer, bioaccumulation, and health risk assessment of heavy metals in Aras River: case study—Amphipoda- zander – human

Abstract

This research investigates and traces heavy metals (As, Pb, Cd and Cu) in a model of the aqueous food chain in the Aras River, located in northwestern of Iran. The selected model includes the zander (Sander lucioperca L.) and crustacean species known as amphipods (Gammarus spp.) that belong to the food chain of this sh. A total of 172 samples (70 sh and 102 Amphipoda) were collected randomly from the stations and analyzed for heavy metals using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). The results showed that the accumulation of heavy metals in both Taxon are in the order of As > Pb > Cd > Cu and concentrations of heavy metals in sh body are higher than Gammarus spp. in every stations in different seasons. Specimens of station (1) due to industrial activities indicates the highest heavy metal content. The concentrations of As, Pb, and Cd exceedes the permissible limits. There is a close correlation between the concentration of heavy metals in the amphipod and zander. The target hazard quotient (THQ), Total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) and Carcinogenic Risk (CR) were calculated to assess human health risk. The average of THQ for As (1.43) exceedes the international standards and will endangere the consumers of this sh species. The TTHQ for heavy metals has been estimated highr than 1. and at all stations, the value of CR Cd > 1×10 − 3 , which reveals the degree of evidence of carcinogenicity of this metal in all parts of the Aras River. Therefore, according to results, effective controls and regular monitoring should be established in this regions

Public health risk assessments associated with heavy metal levels in panga fish fillets imported from Vietnam

“…Töre et al (2021) reported similar results for As from Capoeta trutta and Carassius gibelio species in the Tigris River in Turkey. Furthermore, heavy metal pollution was reported to change by season, and in a study, the highest As levels in pike-perch were found in spring (Dehghani et al, 2022).…”