Accumulation of heavy metals on the muscles of striped snakehead murrel Channa striata in Lake Mainit, Philippines, and the association of its consumption on human health

Abstract

Channa striata is a non-endemic fish and is one of the most common fishery resources of Lake Mainit. Nonetheless, very little is known about the possible impact of anthropogenic activities on this species in the lake. Health indices such as Estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI), and target cancer risk (TCR) were used to assess the potential health risk of C. striata consumption by communities surrounding Lake Mainit. The relative order of the average concentrations of heavy metals in C. striata across all stations is Zn>Cu>Cr>Ni>As>Pb>Cd. EDI values were all over the limits across all stations, posing significant health risks from the intake of heavy metals through the consumption of C. striata. THQs of individual metals across all stations were below 1, signifying that As, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn do not impose a risk of adverse health hazards. The overall HI of all metals across all stations (HI<1.0) implies that it has no public health risk. The TCR of As, Cr, and Ni was within the range of 10−6 and 10−4, implying a low risk of developing cancer induced by the said metals over an exposure duration of 30 years. The TCR of Pb across all stations (range: 1.01×10−7 - 5.04×10−8) is considered negligible for being a carcinogen (TCR< 10−6). Thus, it is unlikely that communities could develop cancer due to the heavy metals analyzed in lake communities consuming C. striata. Nonetheless, exposure to higher health risks becomes more evident as Lake Mainit's water, fish, and sediment quality deteriorates. Hence, comprehensive management of Lake Mainit is required to restore its health and protect the health of the lake communities and the local populations that rely on its resources.