Selected heavy metals analysis of Persian sturgeon's (Acipenser persicus) caviar from Southern Caspian Sea

Concentrations of heavy metals in water, sediments and aquatic organisms from a closed realgar mine

Mining activities can result in severe heavy metal contamination in freshwater ecosystems and lead to significant health risks. In this study, eight heavy metal concentrations in the water, sediments and aquatic organisms, including eighteen fish species, two shrimp species, one crab species and one amphibian frog species of the abandoned Shimen Realgar Mine area, were analysed. The results showed that most of the heavy metals detected in water, sediments and fish from the mine area were at relatively high levels, and historical realgar mining activities were a major source of arsenic (As) contamination in this area. We concluded that heavy metal bioaccumulation is species- and tissue-specific and is different for each element and sampling site. The concentration of heavy metals in fish was generally lower than that of the other aquatic organism species; these concentrations varied among different species with different feeding habits and habitats. The study showed that heavy metal concentrations were lower in muscle tissue than in other tissues (e.g. liver, skin, exoskeleton). A significant positive correlation between the As concentrations in sediment and fish was observed, indicating that sediment is an important factor affecting As accumulation in fish; thus, for fish protection, controlling the sources of water and sediment contamination is essential. Furthermore, the estimated daily intake (EDI) of all metals was acceptable, and the corresponding target hazard quotient (THQ) and total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) values were less than 1; hence, there was no serious health risk through fish consumption in this area.

Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in fish species of Iran: a review

Accumulation of heavy metals (HMs) in fish tissues is an important factor in monitoring the health and safety of aquatic ecosystems. Furthermore, fish are important parts of aquatic food chains and play a significant role in human health. Considering the significant role of fish in the diet of humans and their ability to transfer and biomagnify HMs, it is necessary to determine and study these contaminants in fish tissues, especially in the edible parts of the fish. In addition to the other ecological and economic services of aquatic ecosystems, water bodies, especially the Persian Gulf in the south and the Caspian Sea in the north of Iran, are the main sources of seafood for people in nearby areas, as well as people living farther away who have gained access to seafood due to the extensive trade of aquatic organisms. This study provides an overview of the health conditions of the aquatic ecosystems in Iran by monitoring HM bioaccumulation in fish species. For this purpose, we reviewed, summarized, and evaluated papers published on HM concentrations in fish species from different aquatic ecosystems, including the Persian Gulf, the Caspian Sea, wetlands, rivers, qanats, water reservoirs, lakes, and dams, with emphasis on species habitats, feeding habits, and target organs in accumulation of HMs. Generally, the highest concentrations of HMs were observed in fishes collected from the Persian Gulf, followed by species from the Caspian Sea. Species inhabiting the lower zone of the water column and carnivorous and/or omnivorous species showed the highest levels of HMs. Moreover, liver was the main accumulator organ for HMs.

Trace Metals in Pork Meat Products Marketed in Italy: Occurrence and Health Risk Characterization

This study provides valuable information on the levels of various trace metals (Pb, Cd, Hg, Zn, Cu, Cr) in meat products (baked ham, raw ham, mortadella, cured sausage, würstel, salami) from South Italy and calculates potential health risk toxicity associated with their consumption for the total population and for children. In the samples studied metal concentrations are within the permissible legal limits (Cd: 0.01-0.03 μg g-1 w.w., Hg: 0.01-0.02 μg g-1 w.w., Zn: 5.71-7.32 μg g-1 w.w., Cu: 1.08-1.21 μg g-1 w.w., Cr: 0.15-0.23 μg g-1 w.w.), except for Pb (Pb: 0.22-0.38 μg g-1 w.w.). The estimated intake values are within the provisional tolerable daily intake limits for toxic metals and recommended daily intake values for essential metals in both tested groups. The noncarcinogenic risk values of the individual metals indicate that there is no health risk, but their combined effects might constitute a potential risk for children. Furthermore, the cumulative cancer risk of all samples studied exceeds the recommended threshold risk limit (> 10-4) in both total population and children, indicating a risk of potential health problems for consumers especially for children, who are more vulnerable to toxic metal exposure.

Heavy metal concentrations in roadside plants (Achillea wilhelmsii and Cardaria draba) and soils along some highways in Hamedan, west of Iran

The present study was conducted to analyze the effects of traffic volumes on Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn contents in roadside soils and in two dominant herbaceous species (Achillea wilhelmsii and Cardaria draba) along highways and to evaluate the dynamic characteristics of these elements and their accumulation by the aerial parts and roots of these herbaceous species. The plant samples were collected along 700 m of a 9-km segment of each of the three major highways in Hamedan Province (West Iran) with different traffic volumes: Hamedan-Goltapeh (HG), Hamedan-Razan (HR), and Hamedan-Kermanshah (HK). The results indicated that the mean contents of Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn in the soil samples were 0.26, 18.74, 14.98, 18.21, and 62.25 mg kg^-1, respectively. Furthermore, the mean contents of elements (mg kg^-1) in aerial parts of A. wilhelmsii were 0.16 for Cd, 4.52 for Cu, 1.91 for Pb, 1.70 for Ni, and 44.80 for Zn, while in the aerial part samples of C. draba, the concentrations (mg kg^-1) and the mean contents were 0.16, 2.29, 2.58, 1.60, and 31.29, respectively. This meant that the traffic volume affected the contents of the metals in the soil and the herbaceous species. The metal content in herbaceous tissues varied significantly between plant species. A. wilhelmsii tended to accumulate the metals in the roots while C. draba retained them mostly in the aerial parts. The significant positive correlations of Cd, Cu, Ni, and Zn content in root and aerial parts of the herbaceous plant with those found in the soil samples showed the potential of the studied species for application in biomonitoring studies. Comprehensive analysis (effect of traffic volumes and relationships between the content of elements in plant tissues and soil samples) indicated that Cu in both herbaceous plants was mainly derived from soil, while A. wilhelmsii absorbed Cd and C. draba absorbed Zn mainly through the stomata from atmospheric depositions. Without considering atmospheric depositions due to intense traffic volumes, in A. wilhelmsii, the translocation factor (TF) values of Cu and Zn were 1.06 and 1.44, respectively and in C. draba, the TF values of Cd, Cu, and Pb were 1.06, 1.09, and 1.13, respectively, thus suggesting that both herbaceous species had high potentials for transferring metals from the roots to aerial parts.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of lead and cadmium concentrations in cow milk in Iran and human health risk assessment

The aim of the current research was to systematically review and summarize the studies that evaluated the concentration of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in cow milk in different regions of Iran and to perform a meta-analysis of the findings. Moreover, the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks of Pb and Cd through milk consumption in adult and child consumers were assessed. As a result of a systematic search in the international and national databases between January 2008 and October 2018, 17 reports involving 1874 samples were incorporated in our study for meta-analysis. The pooled concentrations of Pb and Cd were estimated to be 13.95 μg mL^-1 (95% CI 9.72-18.11 μg mL^-1) and 3.55 μg mL^-1 (95% CI - 2.38-9.48 μg mL^-1), respectively, which were lower than the WHO/FAO and national standard limits. The estimated weekly intake (EWI) of Pb and Cd through consuming milk was 16.65 and 7 μg day^-1 for adults of 70 kg and 45 and 34 μg day^-1 for children of 26 kg, respectively, which was well below the risk values set by Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). The maximum target hazard quotient values (THQs) of Pb and Cd were 5.55E-5 and 5.55E-5 for adults and 5.55E-5 and 5.55E-5 for children, respectively, which were lower than 1 value, suggesting that Iranian consumers are not exposed to non-carcinogenic risk through consuming milk. Moreover, the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) of Pb estimated to be 2.96E-04 in adults and 1.0E-03 in children, indicating that consumers in Iran are at threshold carcinogenic risk of Pb through consuming milk (ILCR > 10^-4). Therefore, planning and policy making for the sustainable reduction of these toxic metals in milk, particularly in industrial regions of Iran, are crucial.

Health Risk Assessment of Metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Cd, As, Hg, Se) in Angling Fish with Different Lengths Collected from Liuzhou, China

Wild fish caught by anglers (WFAs) were confirmed to be usually contaminated with metals, and the contamination status is radically affected by the growth and length of the fish. To determine the contamination levels of metals and health risks in WFAs with different length ranges of fish, this study ascertained the concentration of eight metals, including Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Cd, As, Hg and Se, in 171 wild fishes collected from the watershed of Liujiang River. The assessment of metal pollution and health risks from the consumption of these fishes with seven length ranges were accomplished. The obtained results implied a relatively high concentration of Zn, Cr, and Cd up to 109.294 mg/kg, 4.226 mg/kg, and 0.196 mg/kg (wet weight), respectively, which exceed the corresponding Maximum Residue Limit (MRL). The negative correlation between Cu, Zn, Cr, and Cd was observed to be significant with fish length, signifying a possible occurrence of biological dilution on these metals. The WFAs were mostly contaminated with Cr and Cd irrespective of the length ranges of fish, which were denoted by the average pollution index (Pi) of Cr and Cd and were commonly found to be beyond 0.2. Based on the results of health risk assessment analysis, most of the target hazard quotient (THQ) values of Cr were below 1, implying that the consumption of wild fish for adults has insignificant health risk. For children, the total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) values of beyond 1 were found in fishes with the length range of <25 cm, particularly a TTHQ value 1.627 in the range of 10–15 cm, indicating that children are being prone to serious health risks owing to the consumption of WFAs. The weekly recommended consumption of WFAs with the length range of 10–15 cm for adults and children was 0.298 kg/week and 0.149 kg/week, respectively. These are substantially lower than the current rate of fish consumption (0.42 kg/week), and therefore, the wild fish with the length range of 10–15 cm should be avoided for consumption.

Analysis and health risk assessment of toxic and essential elements of the wild fish caught by anglers in Liuzhou as a large industrial city of China

Most wild fish caught by anglers (WFAs) are likely to be contaminated by toxic metals, particularly the fish collected from the waterways in urban and suburban areas; hence, the determination of health risk caused by WFAs consumption associated with toxic metals is vital. Therefore, Liuzhou, one of the largest industrial cities in China, was considered as an example city in this study. Eight toxic elements were analysed to uncover the pollution status and consumption safety of WFAs. Moreover, the suitable angling waterways were identified in the urban and suburban areas. The obtained results suggested relatively high concentrations of Zn, Cr and Cd, which were also found to be beyond corresponding Maximum Residue Limit. Among all analysed elements, only the mean pollution indices of Cr and Cd were observed to be beyond 0.2, revealing that the observed WFAs were generally contaminated by these metals. However, the potential health risk of WFAs can be predominately attributed to Cr, confirmed by the significantly higher Target hazard quotients (THQ). For adults, all the THQ values were below 1, indicating no significant health risk being associated with WFAs consumption in the case of adults. On the contrary, all the THQ values for Children were beyond 1, suggesting children being susceptible to great health risks due to WFAs consumption. Furthermore, the weekly recommended consumption of WFAs in urban area is remarkably lower than the current rate of fish consumption observed among urban residents; therefore, the waterways in urban areas can be evaded for fish angling.

Evaluation of antioxidant activities and essential/toxicmetal levels and their health risk assessment in citrus fruits from Pakistan

Fruits are important components of human diet, and their contamination by environmental pollutants is an emerging challenge nowadays. The present study is based on the measurement of selected essential and toxic trace metals including Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr, Co, Sr, Li, Ni, Pb, and Cd in commercially available citrus fruits from Pakistan. The samples were digested in HNO₃ and HCLO₄ mixture, and the metal contents were quantified by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Highest concentration was found for Ca (609.0-3596 mg/kg), followed by relatively higher levels of K (277.6-682.1 mg/kg), Mg (53.65-123.4 mg/kg), Na (1.173-52.14 mg/kg), and Fe (0.236-10.57 mg/kg), while Li, Ni, and Cd showed the lowest contributions in most of the samples. In addition, antioxidant activities such as DPPH radical scavenging assay, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, ferrous chelating activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power assay, and phosphomolybdenum assay were also evaluated in the fruit samples. Considerably higher antioxidant activities were shown by grapefruit, mandarin, sweet lime, and tangerine. Most of the antioxidant assays were significantly correlated with Na, Mg, Fe, Mn, and Cu levels in the fruits. Human health risk was evaluated in terms of health risk index (HRI), target hazard quotient (THQ), and target cancer risk (TCR) which revealed insignificant health risks; thus, the consumption of these fruits can be considered as safe for human diet.

Honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) as a Potential Bioindicator for Detection of Toxic and Essential Elements in the Environment (Case Study: Markazi Province, Iran)

Honeybees, due to their wide-ranging foraging behaviour, have great potentials for monitoring environmental quality. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to use honeybees as bioindicators for the detection of toxic and essential metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, and Fe) in the environment. Totally, 180 soil, plant (including root and aerial part), honeybees, and honey samples were collected from 12 sites within the main beekeeping and honey production regions in Markazi Province, Iran in 2016. After acid digestion of samples, the metal concentrations were measured by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometers. The translocation factor (TF), and bioconcentration factor (BCF) of metals were computed. The results showed that among the analyzed bee samples, Cd (mg kg^-1) was detected in amounts ranging from 0.01 to 2.35, Cr (mg kg^-1) ranged from 0.02 to 18.10, Cu (mg kg^-1) ranged from 2.00 to 39.11, and Fe (mg kg^-1) ranged from 163 to 1695. BCF and TF values obtained showed that the Astragalus gossypinus would have a great accumulation ability for Cd and Cr. The results indicated that honeybees could be used to detect the spatial patterns of metal contaminations in the environment they dwell in.

Biochar obtained from cinnamon and cannabis as effective adsorbents for removal of lead ions from water

The feedstock from cinnamon (CI) and cannabis (CA) were used for providing biochar at different temperatures using the pyrolysis method (300, 400, and 600 °C) as appropriate adsorbents for removing Pb(II) ions. The properties of materials were examined with varied techniques. The BET surface area of CI600 and CA600 was higher compared with others. The adsorption efficiency of Pb(II) ions relies on initial Pb(II) concentration, pH, adsorbent dose, equilibrium time, and temperature. The adsorption isotherms of Pb(II) ions were assessed via Langmuir adsorption isotherm and the pseudo-second-order model and electrostatic interaction became visible to play the main role in the adsorption process.

Distribution and health risk assessment of Cd and Pb in two marine fishes (Haemulopsis axillaris and Diapterus peruvianus) from the Eastern Pacific

The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in muscle and liver tissue of Haemulopsis axillaris and Diapterus peruvianus from the Eastern Pacific in Mexico and to assess the health risk to consumers. Fish were collected as bycatch on the continental shelf between the coasts of Sinaloa and Guerrero (Eastern Pacific). Cd and Pb were quantified in muscle and liver tissue using graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry (GF-AAS).Concentration of Cd was greater in muscle tissue than in liver tissue; with Pb, however, the opposite pattern was found. The highest concentration of Cd (0.177 μg g^-1) was found in muscle tissue of H. axillaris from Sinaloa. For Pb, the highest level (0.692 μg g^-1) was found in the liver tissue of H. axillaris also from Sinaloa. Levels of Cd and Pb in muscle tissue were both below Mexican Guidelines (0.5, 1.0 μg g^-1 wet weight for Cd and Pb respectively) and International Guidelines. The hazard index (HI) for both metals in the edible portion of studied considering metal levels in the edible portion and the rate of fish consumption by the Mexican population (in adults and children) was less than 1 (HI < 1), values which do not represent a health risk to consumers.

Surveying the efficiency of Platanus orientalis bark as biosorbent for Ni and Cr(VI) removal from plating wastewater as a real sample

Heavy metals make up one of the most important pollutants in industrial wastewater. For wastewater, adsorbent materials developed from suitable biomass can be effective in removing the heavy metal ions. In this study, the powder of the bark of Platanus orientalis was used as a biosorbent to remove Cr(VI) and Ni from a nickel-chromium plating wastewater as a real sample for the first time. Two different adsorbents were used in analyzing the data: modified and non-modified bark. The extent of adsorption was dependent on the pH (in the range of 1.5, 3, 5, 7, and 9), the time of contact (in the range of 30, 60, 90, 120 min), and the adsorbent dosage (different doses of 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 g L^-1). The concentration of unabsorbed metals was measured by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES, Model Thermo iCAP 6000). The maximum removal of Cr(VI) was obtained 89.6% for non-modified bark and 90.7% for modified bark both at pH of 5 in 2 g L^-1 of adsorbent dosage in 300 min. While, the maximum Ni removal was obtained 74.5 and 56.5% for non-modified and modified bark, respectively, at pH 3 in 2 g L^-1 adsorbent dosage in 90 min. Based on the results, Freundlich isotherm appears better fitted in adsorption with a better correlation coefficient (R² = 0.998) than that of Langmuir model with a correlation coefficient of R² = 0.996. The q_max for Ni₁ and Ni₂ were 126.58 and 285.714 mg g^-1 and the q_max for Cr₁ and Cr₂ were 13.423 and 19.920 mg g^-1, respectively. The FTIR studies indicated that S-O stretching group from sulfonate, surface O=H stretching, and also aliphatic C-H stretching are responsible for the adsorption. The SEM results obviously show the difference between the biomass surface before and after loading of ions. Ultimately, the present study concluded that P. orientalis could be a cheap and efficient biosorbent to adsorb and remove Cr(VI) and Ni from the plating wastewater; however, it seems more efficient for Cr(VI) with an average removal power of 90.15% than Ni with an average removal power of 65.75%.

Ecological and Human Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal Content of Atmospheric Dry Deposition, a Case Study: Kermanshah, Iran

The present study was intended to investigate the ecological and human health risk of cobalt, nickel, and vanadium in the atmospheric dry deposition of the Kermanshah city, Iran, in 2015. Totally 54 samples of atmospheric dry deposition were collected from the three regions of the city with different traffic intensity, and after acid digestion of the samples with ultrapure concentrated HNO₃, the total contents of the metals were determined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). Also, all statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS statistical package. The atmospheric dry deposition element contents increase according to the following descending order for both autumn seasons: Ni > Co > V. The results of potential ecological risk analysis demonstrated that metals in the samples are in low ecological risk levels, whereas the results of human health risk assessment showed that ingestion is the main exposure pathway of heavy metals in the dust to the local residents compared with inhalation and dermal pathways. Also, the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval (95% UCL) of hazard indices for non-carcinogenic risks of all analyzed metals in the dust samples was within the safe level for both children and adults. On the other hand, the carcinogenic risk levels of Co and Ni were all lower than the acceptable range (10^-6-10^-4) to local citizens. Consequently, the results advocate the necessity of understanding the heavy metal content of atmospheric dry deposition and regular monitoring of air pollution.

Human health risk assessment of potentially toxic heavy metals in the atmospheric dust of city of Hamedan, west of Iran

The atmospheric dust is an important route of human exposure to kinds of pollutants particularly toxic heavy metals. The current study was carried out to assess the ecological and health risk assessment of Co, Cr, and Mn in the atmospheric dust of city of Hamedan, Iran. In so doing, a total of 54 samples of atmospheric dust were collected from the three regions of the study area in 2014. After acid digestion of samples in the laboratory, the Co, Cr, and Mn contents were determined using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). The results showed that the average contents (mg kg^-1) of Co, Cr, and Mn in the analyzed samples were 0.23, 0.89, and 8.10, respectively. The results of human health risk assessment showed that ingestion of dust particles is the main exposure route to heavy metals in the dust for the local residents. Also, the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval of hazard indices for non-carcinogenic risks of all analyzed metals in the atmospheric dust was within the safe level (= 1) for both children and adults. The carcinogenic risk levels of Co and Cr were all lower than the acceptable range for local citizens. Based on the results, it can be suggested that special attention be paid to toxic heavy metals that long-term exposure to which via atmospheric dust can have adverse effects on the city resident health.

Health risk assessment of arsenic and heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Co, Pb, and Sn) through consumption of caviar of Acipenser persicus from Southern Caspian Sea

In the current study contents of As, Cd, Cu, Co, Pb, and Sn were determined in the caviar of Persian sturgeon collected from Southern Caspian Sea sampling site. After acid digestion of caviar specimens, the concentrations of elements determined using ICP-OES. The results showed that the mean concentrations (mg kg^-1) of elements in caviar samples were 0.01 for As, 0.05 for Cd, 1.42 for Cu, 0.01 for Co, 0.01 for Pb, and 0.28 for Sn and for all the elements are significantly lower than the adverse level for the human consumption. Also, health risk index (HRI) values were within the safe limits (HRI < 1). Therefore, there is no potential health risk to adults and children via consumption of caviar. Due to the discharge of hazardous chemicals into the marine ecosystems especially the Caspian Sea, residue analysis of pollutants in the sea foods is recommended.

Potential health risk assessment of heavy metals via consumption of caviar of Persian sturgeon

Caviar may contain high levels of toxic metals. Therefore determination of health risk assessment of the heavy metals in this luxury product is vital. In this study, an Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometer and a Direct Mercury Analyzer were used to assess the contents of elements in caviar of wild Persian sturgeon. The results showed that the contents of Ba, Cr, Fe, Hg, Mn and Zn (mgkg^-1) in caviar samples were 0.95, 0.27, 71.3, 1.44, 0.01 and 17.0, respectively. Also, Health Risk Index values were within the safe limits (HRI<1), and there is no potential health risk for adults and children via consumption of caviar. Finally, considering the contents of Fe and Hg were higher than Maximum Permissible Limits in the caviar samples related to the discharge of pollutants into the aquatic environment, monitoring of chemicals accumulation in the foodstuff is recommended.