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Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Marine Fish Caught from the Northwest Persian Gulf

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Abstract

Marine fish may become contaminated as a result of environmental pollution including hazardous metals. Due to the presence of metalloids and toxic metals such as cadmium, lead, copper, and zinc in fish tissue, it may endanger health, considering the countless benefits of consuming fish, which can harm the human body if consumed in toxic amounts. Therefore, it is vital to monitor the concentration of metals in fish meat to ensure compliance with food safety regulations and protect the consumer. We considered the levels of Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cd in 60 marine fish samples (3 species) collected from coastal areas of the northwestern coast of the Persian Gulf and estimated their health risk. Mean concentrations of Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cd were 1.88 ± 0.07 µg/g, 27.16 ± 8.11 µg/g, 11.55 ± 4.12 µg/g, 14 ± 0.06 µg/g, and 0.19 ± 0.03 µg/g wet weight. Estimated average daily intakes (EDIs) for adults and children of Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cd were 0.89–4.15 μg/kg bw/day, 12.89–60.02 μg/kg bw/day, 5.47–25.53 μg/kg bw/day, 0.54–2.51 μg/kg bw/day, and 0.09–0.42 μg/kg bw/day. Our analysis revealed elevated levels of Ni and Pb in the fish samples, raising concerns about potential health hazards associated with their consumption. This study provides critical insights into heavy metal contamination in marine fish, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring and proactive measures to ensure safe seafood consumption in the northwest Persian Gulf.

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Funding

This study is supported financially by Gonbad Kavous University (project number: 205413), Gonbad-e Kavus, Golestan province, Iran.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Gonbad Kavous University, Gonbad Kavous, Iran

    Solaleh Torabi & Mohammad Gholizadeh

  2. Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Faculty of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran

    Mahsa Yazarlo

  3. Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Basic Sciences and Technical Engineering, Gonbad Kavous University, Gonbad Kavous, Iran

    Zahra Riahi

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  1. Solaleh Torabi
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  2. Mohammad Gholizadeh
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  4. Zahra Riahi
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study’s conception and design. S. T: conceptualization, methodology, writing – original draft, review, and editing, visualization; M. Gh: supervision, writing – original draft, review, and editing, project administration, funding acquisition; M. Y: investigation, resources, data curation; Z. R: writing – original draft.

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Correspondence to Mohammad Gholizadeh.

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In the current study, fish were caught by fishermen not specifically for the project.

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Torabi, S., Gholizadeh, M., Yazarlo, M. et al. Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Marine Fish Caught from the Northwest Persian Gulf. Biol Trace Elem Res (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-023-03946-z

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