Arsenic fractionation in sediments and speciation in muscles of fish, Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus from a contaminated tropical Lagoon, Nigeria

Abstract

This study assesses arsenic (As) fractionation in sediments and speciation in muscle tissues of Bagrid catfish, Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus from Lagos Lagoon, southwest Nigeria to determine risks to ecological receptors and humans. Residual As was the predominant geochemical fraction (86.2%) in sediments. Arsenite [As (III)] concentrations which ranged from 0.06 to 0.53 mg kg−1 in catfish muscle tissue, accounting for 25.9% of total As was the dominant species. Less toxic dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) which varied between 0.06 and 0.27 mg kg−1 made up to 10.8% of total As in catfish muscle tissue. Estimated human average daily intake (ADI) of As as As (III) and DMA were 1.35 × 10−4 and 0.62 × 10−4 mg kg−1 BW with corresponding hazard quotients (HQs) of 0.45 and 0.21, respectively, indicate no apparent health hazard to adult consumers. The incremental lifetime cancer risks (ILCR) of 0.78 × 10−3 for total As, 0.20 × 10−3 for As (III), and 0.93 × 10−3 for DMA, for adults from the consumption of catfish is slightly higher than the US EPA threshold and indicates moderate carcinogenic risk. Furthermore, 12.5% bioavailable fraction of As in sediment and relatively higher levels of As (III) in fish tissues has ecological and public health implications.