Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Risk assessment of heavy metals in marine fish and seafood from Kedah and Selangor coastal regions of Malaysia: a high-risk health concern for consumers

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The heavy metals namely Fe, As, Cu, Cd, and Pb were investigated in two marine fishes silver pomfret (Pampus argentus) and torpedo scad (Megalaspis cordyla), and three seafoods sibogae squid (Loligo sibogae), Indian white prawn (Fenneropenaeus indicus), and mud crab (Scylla serrata) by using inductively coupled plasma spectrophotometer (ICP-MS) from two renowned fish harvesting coastal area of Malaysia named as Kedah and Selangor. Among the target heavy metals, highest mean concentration of As and Fe were found in Scylla serrata (72.14±7.77 μg/g) in Kedah and Megalaspis cordyla (149.40±2.15 μg/g) in Selangor. Pearson’s correlation results showed As-Fe-Cd-Cu originated from the same source. Maximum estimated daily intake (EDI) values of Scylla serrata were found 175.25 μg/g/day and 100.81 μg/g/day for child in both Kedah and Selangor areas respectively. Hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) results revealed that local consumers of Kedah and Selangor will face high chronic risk if they consume Scylla serrata, Fenneropenaeus indicus, and Megalaspis cordyla on regular basis in their diet. Carcinogenic risk results suggested that all the studied species pose very high risk of cancer occurrences to the consumers in both areas. Therefore, it could be recommended that consumers should be aware when they are consuming these marine species since they can pose serious health risk associated with prolonged consumption.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahmad NI, Wan Mahiyuddin WR, Tengku Mohamad TR, Ling CY, Daud SF, Hussein NC, Sulaiman LH (2016) Fish consumption pattern among adults of different ethnics in Peninsular Malaysia. Food Nutr Res 60(1):32697

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alam L, Mokhtar MB, Alam M, Bari M, Kathijotes N, Ta GC, Ern LK (2015) Assessment of environmental and human health risk for contamination of heavy metal in tilapia fish collected from Langat Basin. Malaysia Asian J Water Environ Pollu 12(2):21–30

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alina M, Azrina A, Yunus ASM, Zakiuddin SM, Effendi HMI, Rizal RM (2012) Heavy metals (Hg, As, Cd, plumbum) in selected marine fish and shellfish along the Straits of Malacca. Int Food Res J 19(1):135–140

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Anita S, Rajesh KS, Madhoolika A, Fiona MM (2010) Health risk assessment of heavy metals via dietary intake of foodstuffs from the wastewater irrigated site of a dry tropical area of India. Food Chem Toxicol 48:611–619

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aweng ER, Nurul Inani R, Arham Muchtar AB, Salam MA, Sharifah Aisyah SO, Liyana AA, Mazlan M (2020) Determination of selected heavy metal contents in fresh and smoked Corbicula fluminea (Muller, 1774) collected from hawkers in the District of Tumpat, Kelantan, Malaysia. Inter Jou of Adv Sci and Tech 29(4s):3463–3471

    Google Scholar 

  • Azmi WNFW, Ahmad NI, Mahiyuddin WRW (2019) Heavy metal levels and risk assessment from consumption of marine fish in Peninsular Malaysia. J Environ Prot 10(11):1450

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bashir FH, Othman MS, Mazlan AG, Rahim SM, Simon KD (2013) Heavy metal concentration in fishes from the coastal waters of Kapar and Mersing. Malaysia Turk Jour of Fish and Aqu Sci:375–382

  • Bortey-Sam N, Nakayama SM, Ikenaka Y, Akoto O, Baidoo E, Mizukawa H, Ishizuka M (2015) Health risk assessment of heavy metals and metalloid in drinking water from communities near gold mines in Tarkwa, Ghana. Environ Monit Assess 187(7):397

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • CCREM (Canadian Council of Resource and Environmental Ministers) (1987) Canadian water quality guidelines. In land Waters Directorate, Environmental Canada, Ottawa

    Google Scholar 

  • Cecil KM, Brubaker CJ, Adler CM, Dietrich KN, Altaye M, Egelhoff JC, Wessel S, Elangovan I, Hornung R, Jarvis K, Lanphear BP (2008) Decreased brain volume in adults with childhood lead exposure. PLoS Med 5(5):112

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chary NS, Kamala CT, Raj DSS (2008) Assessing risk of heavy metals from consuming food grown on sewage irrigated soils and food chain transfer. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 69(3):513–524

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chi Q, Zhu G, Alan L (2007) Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in fishes from Taihu Lake, China. J Environ Sci (China) 19(12):1500–1504

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cicin-Sain B, Knecht RW. 1998 Appendix 1: ICM Practices in twenty two selected nations, part-II: middle developing nations, case study on Malaysia in Integrated Coastal and Ocean Management: Concept and Practices. Island press, Washington DC, USA 373-380

  • Domingo JL (2007) Omega-3 fatty acids and the benefits of fish consumption: is all that glitters gold? Environ Int 33(7):993–998

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ersoy B, Çelik M (2010) The essential and toxic elements in tissues of six commercial demersal fish from Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Food Chem Toxicol 48(5):1377–1382

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • FAO/WHO (1984) List of maximum levels recommended for contaminants by the Joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission, 2nd edn. FAO/WHO, Rome, Italy, pp 1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • FAO/WHO, 2002 Codex Alimentarius-general standards for contaminants and toxins in food. Schedule 1 Maximum and guideline levels for contaminants and toxins in food, Joint FAO/WHO food standards programme. Rotterdam: Codexcommittee. Reference CX/FAC 02/16

  • GESAMP 1997. IMO/FAO/UNESCO/WMO/WHO/IAEA/UN/UNEP Joint group of experts on the scientific aspects of marine pollution: report of the seventeenth session, Rome, Geneva, World Health Organization (Reports and Studies 31)

  • Guérin T, Chekri R, Vastel C, Sirot V, Volatier JL, Leblanc JC, Noël L (2011) Determination of 20 trace elements in fish and other seafood from the French market. Food Chem 127:934–942

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gulbrandsen RA (1966) Chemical composition of phosphorites of the Phosphoria Formation. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 30(8):769–778

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Han WK, Waikar SS, Johnson A, Betensky RA, Dent CL, Devarajan P, Bonventre JV (2008) Urinary biomarkers in the early diagnosis of acute kidney injury. Kidney Int 73(7):863–869

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • He M, Ke CH, Wang WX (2010) Effects of cooking and sub cellular distribution on the bioaccessibility of trace elements in two marine fish species. Jour Agri and Food Chem 58(6):3517–3523

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hossen MF, Hamdan S, Rahman MR (2015) Review on the risk assessment of heavy metals in Malaysian clams. The Sci Worlds Jour 905497(7)

  • Jamil T, Lias K, Norsila D, Syafinaz NS (2014) Assessment of heavy metal contamination in squid (loligo spp.) tissues of Kedah-Perlis waters, Malaysia. The Mal Jour Anal Sci 18(1):195–203

    Google Scholar 

  • JECFA 2003 Summary and conclusions of the 61st meeting of the joint FAO/ WHO Expert committee on food additives (JECFA). Rome, Italy: JECFA/61/SC

  • Johnson MS, Eaton JW (1980) Environmental contamination through residual trace metal dispersal from a derelict lead-zinc mine 1. J Environ Qual 9(2):175–179

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kamaruzzaman BY, John BA, Megat MH, Zaleha K (2011) Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in horseshoe crabs (Tachypleus gigas) from Pekan, Pahang Malaysia. Res Jour of Environ Toxicol 5(3):222–228

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kamaruzzaman BY, Akbar John B, Maryam BZ, Jalal KCA, Shahbuddin S (2012) Bioaccumulation of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn) in scylla serrata (forsskal 1775) collected from Sungai Penor, Pahang, Malaysia. Pert Jour of Trop Agri Sci 35(1):183–190

    Google Scholar 

  • Kannan K, Agusa T, Evans TJ, Tanabe S (2007) Trace element concentrations in livers of polar bears from two populations in Northern and Western Alaska. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 53(3):473–482

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Keshavarzi B, Hassanaghaei M, Moore F, Mehr MR, Soltanian S, Lahijanzadeh AR, Sorooshian A (2018) Heavy metal contamination and health risk assessment in three commercial fish species in the Persian Gulf. Marine Pollu Bull 129(1):245–252

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar AK, Achyuthan H (2007) Heavy metal accumulation in certain marine animals along the East Coast of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Journal of Environ Bio/ Aca of Environ Biol, Ind 28(3):637–643

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee-Feldstein A 1983 Arsenic and respiratory cancer in man: follow-up of an occupational study. Arsenic: Industrial, biomedical and environmental perspectives. Van Nostrand-Reinhold, New York: 245-265

  • Luevano J, Damodaran C (2014) A review of molecular events of cadmium-induced carcinogenesis. Jour of Environ Path, Toxicol and Onco 33(3):183–194

  • Malaysian Food and Regulations (1985) In Hamid Ibrahim, Nasser and Yap Thiam Huat. Malaysian Law on Food and Drugs. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Law Publisher

  • Marmar JL, Benoff S (2005) The safety of ultrasonically guided testis aspiration biopsies and efficacy of use to predict varicocelectomy outcome. Human Repro 20(8):2279–2288

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martorell I, Perelló G, Martí-Cid R, Llobet JM, Castell V, Domingo JL (2011) Human exposure to arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead from foods in Catalonia, Spain: temporal trend. Biol Trace Elem Res 142(3):309–322

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mendil D, Demirci Z, Tuzen M, Soylak M (2010) Seasonal investigation of trace element contents in commercially valuable fish species from the Black Sea, Turkey. Food Chem Toxicol 48(3):865–870

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mills KC, Curry SC (1994) Acute iron poisoning. Emerg Med Clin North Am 12(2):397–413

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morton WE, Caron GA (1989) Encephalopathy: an uncommon manifestation of workplace arsenic poisoning? Am J Ind Med 15(1):1–5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mustafa R, Shuhaimi M, Cob CZ (2013) Assessment of selected heavy metals (Zn, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cr and Cu) in different species of Acetes shrimp from Malacca, Johor and Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia. J Environ Sci Technol 6(1):50–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Nardi EP, Evangelista FS, Tormen L, Saint TD, Curtius AJ, de Souza SS, Barbosa F Jr (2009) The use of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the determination of toxic and essential elements in different types of food samples. Food Chem 112(3):727–732

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • NRC (National Research Council) (2000) Copper in drinking water. National Academic Press, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Nriagu JO, Pacyna JM (1988) Quantitative assessment of worlwide contamination of air, water and soils by trace metals. Natu. 333:134–139

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • OEHHA 2009 Air toxics hot spots program technical support document for cancer potencies. Appendix B: Chemical-Specific Summaries of the Information Used to Derive Unit Risk and Cancer Potency Value

  • Pandit A, Bhave S (1996) Present interpretation of the role of copper in Indian childhood cirrhosis. The American Jour of Clinical Nut 63(5):830S–835S

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rahman MM, Islam MA, Bodrud-Doza M, Muhib MI, Zahid A, Shammi M, Tareq SM, Kurasaki M (2018) Spatio-temporal assessment of groundwater quality and human health risk: a case study in Gopalganj, Bangladesh. Expo and Heal 10(3):167–188

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rajeshkumar S, Liu Y, Zhang X, Ravikumar B, Bai G, Li X (2018) Studies on seasonal pollution of heavy metals in water, sediment, fish and oyster from the Meiliang Bay of Taihu Lake in China. Chemos. 191:626–638

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rak AE, Nasir SN, Nor MM, Han DK, Appalasamy S, Abdullah F, Ghazi RM (2020) Proximate analysis and fatty acid of Corbicula fluminea (C. fluminea) tissue in Kelantan, Malaysia. Environ Sci Pollut Res 3:1–4

    Google Scholar 

  • Renberg I, Brannvall MJ, Bindler R, Emteryd O (2000) Atmospheric lead pollution history during four millennia (2000BC to 2000AD) in Sweeden. Ambio. 29:150–156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosli MNR, Samat SB, Yasir MS, Yousuf MFM (2018) Analysis of heavy metal accumulation in fish at Terengganu Coastal Area, Malaysia. Sains Malay 47(6):1277–1283

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roy SS, Mahapatra R, Rath S, Bajpai A, Singh V, Rath S, Nair N, Tripathy P, Gope RK, Sinha R, Costello A (2013) Improved neonatal survival after participatory learning and action with women's groups: a prospective study in rural eastern India. Bull World Health Organ 91:426–433B

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rue EL, Bruland KW (1995) Complexation of iron (III) by natural organic ligands in the Central North Pacific as determined by a new competitive ligand equilibration/adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetric method. Mar Chem 50:117–138

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Salam MA, Paul SC, Noor SN, Siddiqua SA, Aka TD, Wahab R, Aweng ER (2019) Contamination profile of heavy metals in marine fish and shellfish. Glo Jour of Environ Sci and Manag 5(2):225–236

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sarmiento AM, DelValls A, Nieto JM, Salamanca MJ, Caraballo MA (2011) Toxicity and potential risk assessment of a river polluted by acid mine drainage in the Iberian Pyrite Belt (SW Spain). Sci Total Environ 409(22):4763–4771

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharif R, Chong E, Meng CK (2016) Human health risk assessment of heavy metals in shellfish from Kudat, Sabah, Malaysia. Malays J Nutr 22(2):301–305

    Google Scholar 

  • Sunderman JF (1986) Carcinogenicity and mutagenicity of some metals and their compounds. IARC Sci Pub 71:17–43

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tavares TM, Carvalho FM (1992) Avaliação de exposição de populações humanas a metais pesados no ambiente: exemplos do Recôncavo Baiano. Química Nova 15(2):147–154

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Taweel A, Shuhaimi-Othman M, Ahmad AK (2013) Assessment of heavy metals in tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus) from the Langat River and Engineering Lake in Bangi, Malaysia, and evaluation of the health risk from tilapia consumption. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 93:45–51

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson KJ, Shoham S, Connor JR (2001) Iron and neurodegenerative disorders. Brain Res Bull 55(2):155–164

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tourtelot HA, Schultz LG, Gill JR. 1960 Stratigraphic variations in mineralogy and chemical composition of the Pierre Shale in South Dakota and adjacent parts of North Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana. US Geological Survey Professional Paper B447-B452.

  • USEPA (US Environmental Protection Agency), 1999. A risk assessment-multiway exposure spreadsheet calculation tool. United States of Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.

  • USEPA (US Environmental Protection Agency), 2006. USEPA Region III risk based concentration table: technical background information. United States of Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.

  • USEPA (US Environmental Protection Agency), 2009. National Primary/Secondary and Drinking Water Regulations, Washington, DC.

  • USEPA (US Environmental Protection Agency). 2010. Risk based concentration table. Available from: http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/risk/human/index.htm

  • USEPA (US Environmental Protection Agency), 2015. IRIS http://www.epa.gov/iris/United States of Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC

  • Vaziri ND, Gonick HC 2008 Cardiovascular effects of lead exposure. 426-435

  • WHO (1995) Environmental Health Criteria No 165. Lead, Inorganic IPCS, World Health Organization, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Zalloua PA, Hsu YH, Terwedow H, Zang T, Wu D, Tang G, Li Z, Hong X, Azar ST, Wang B, Bouxsein ML (2007) Impact of seafood and fruit consumption on bone mineral density. Maturitas. 56(1):1–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Availability of data and materials

Not applicable

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Noakhali Science and Technology University, -3814, Noakhali, Bangladesh

    Mohammed Abdus Salam & Mohammad Mahbub Kabir

  2. Faculty of Earth Science, University Malaysia Kelantan, Jeli Campus, 17600, Jeli, Malaysia

    Mohammed Abdus Salam, Shalini Rajeswara Dayal & Aweng A/L Eh Rak

  3. Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, 2202, Bangladesh

    Sadia Afrin Siddiqua

  4. Department of Textile Engineering, City University, Khagan, Birulia, Savar, Dhaka, 1216, Bangladesh

    Md. Iftakharul Muhib

  5. Department of Fisheries and Marine Science, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh

    Shuva Bhowmik

  6. School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

    George Srzednicki

Authors
  1. Mohammed Abdus Salam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shalini Rajeswara Dayal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sadia Afrin Siddiqua
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Md. Iftakharul Muhib
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Shuva Bhowmik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Mohammad Mahbub Kabir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Aweng A/L Eh Rak
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. George Srzednicki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

The study was designed by Mohammed Abdus Salam. Shalini Rajeswara Dayal, Sadia Afrin Siddiqua, and Md. Iftakharul Muhib performed the experiments and analyzed and interpreted the data. The analysis was done by Shuva Bhowmik and Mohammad Mahbub Kabir, and the manuscript was written by Mohammed Abdus Salam, Md. Iftakharul Muhib and Shuva Bhowmik corrected by Aweng A/L Eh Rak and George Srzednicki.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammed Abdus Salam.

Ethics declarations

Ethical approval

Not applicable

Consent to participate

Not applicable

Consent for publication

Not applicable

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: V. V.S.S. Sarma

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Salam, M.A., Dayal, S.R., Siddiqua, S.A. et al. Risk assessment of heavy metals in marine fish and seafood from Kedah and Selangor coastal regions of Malaysia: a high-risk health concern for consumers. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 55166–55175 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-14701-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-14701-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation