Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Heavy Metals Contamination in the Egyptian Smoked Herring (Clupea harengus)

Trace metals in commercial seafood products (canned, pickled and smoked): Comparison, exposure and health risk assessment

This study used inductively coupled plasma and mass spectrometry, followed by microwave digestion, to assess the concentration of six trace metals (Cr, Ni, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb) in three canned products (tuna in oil [TIO], sardine in oil [SIO], and mackerel in oil [MIO]), two pickled products (prawn pickle [PP] and fish pickle [FP]), and one smoked product (masmin) collected from Tuticorin market, southern India. Trace metal (TM) levels in canned, pickled, and smoked fish varied from 0.01 to 1.48, 0.009 to 0.94, and 0.08 to 4.13 mg/kg, respectively. The concentration of TMs in the seafood was observed in the following order: As > Cr > Pb > Ni > Cd > Hg. Regarding their accumulation in the seafood products, masmin showed the highest levels followed by SIO, MIO, TIO, FP, and PP. The results revealed that smoked products showed higher TM concentrations, followed by canned and pickled products. The level of TMs in seafood products was below the maximum residue limit set by the European Commission (EC/1881/2006) and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Risk assessment for consumer health implied that the evaluated target hazard quotient (THQ < 1), hazard index (HI < 1), and target cancer risk (TCR < 1.E-04) values did not exceed their guideline values and did not cause non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health impacts through seafood product consumption. The pollution index (Pi) values of TMs in seafood products ranged from 0.01 to 0.7, with As and Cd showing the lowest and highest values, which were below 0.7, indicating their safety for consumption. The metal pollution index (MPI) for TMs in seafood ranged from 9.E-05 to 0.007, with the lowest and highest values associated with PP and TIO products. The MPI value for seafood products was below 1, signifying low TMs accumulation, suggesting the safety of seafood for consumption. The maximum seafood meal consumption limit (CRmm) was calculated, showing that adults can safely consume > 16 meals/month without chronic or acute toxicity. The results of this study suggest that the accumulation of TMs in the analyzed seafood product was below the health guidelines and pollution index values, making it suitable for smooth domestic and international export as well as safe consumption.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in aquatic animals: a systematic review on analytical advances and challenges

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), the main component of petroleum, are a concern due to their environmental persistence, long-range transport, and potential toxic effects on animal, human health, and the environment. PAHs are considered persistent compounds and can be bioaccumulated in sediments and aquatic biota. Determining PAHs in animals and environmental samples consists of three steps: extraction, clean-up or purification, and analytical determination. The matrix complexity and the diversity of environmental contaminants, such as PAHs resulted in the development of numerous analytical techniques and protocols for the extraction of these components and analysis in several samples. This systematic review article seeks to relate the extraction and preparation methods of complex samples from aquatic animals and the two main detection techniques of PAHs. For the elaboration of the research, 67 articles published between 2011 and 2021 were sought, which specifically contemplated the isolation of aquatic extracts and detection and quantification techniques of PAHs.