Assessment of Potential Health Risks Associated with the Intake of Heavy Metals in Fish Harvested from the Largest Estuary in Colombia.

Carlos H Pinzón-Bedoya,Iván Urango-Cardenas,José Marrugo-Negrete,José Pinedo-Hernández,Martha L Pinzón-Bedoya

doi:10.3390/ijerph17082921

Abstract

This study assesses the potential human health risks posed by six heavy metals (Hg, As, Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn) found in five of the most consumed fish species (Mugil incilis, Centropomus undecimalis, Cathorops mapale, Eugerres plumieri, and Elops smithi) collected by the riverine population living in Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta (CGSM), the largest estuary in Colombia. Metal concentrations were low compared with those reported in other regions around the world and the maximum value established by international monitoring organizations. The estimation of the potential risk (HQ) indicated that Cu and Hg could generate negative effects in groups of women of childbearing age (WCA) and the remaining population (RP), because they exceeded their related reference doses, with HQ values > 1; however, Cu and Hg concentrations were not high in fish and EWI, MFW, or MeHgPSL values shows that there is no evidence of a potential health risk from MeHg exposure in the study population. Therefore, the recommendations are to establish continuous monitoring of heavy metals together with strategies that address the high fish consumption, as well as to implement mechanisms for the mitigation of contamination of the watershed, to ensure the safety of organisms in the ecosystem and human health, not only of populations who depend on aquatic resources in the area but also of those that market and consume these resources in the Colombian Caribbean.

Highlights

Contamination with heavy metals in aquatic ecosystems is considered a serious problem at the global level due to the effects on ecosystems and their importance for human health
Study Area in the department of Magdalena (10◦ 200 –11◦ 050 N and 74◦ 060 –74◦ 520 W) (Figure 1). It is Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta (CGSM), Santa Marta-Colombia, is the largest estuarine coastal permanentlylagoon connected to the Caribbean through mouth
In descending order according to local fish consumption by the population in the area Euguerres plumieri (92%) is the most consumed species, followed by Mugil incilis (77%), Elop smithi (64%), Cathorops mapale (54%), and Centropomus undecimalis (35%)

Summary

Introduction

Contamination with heavy metals in aquatic ecosystems is considered a serious problem at the global level due to the effects on ecosystems and their importance for human health. Heavy metals such as copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) play a vital role in the development of some specific metabolic functions of biological systems and are considered essential because of their requirement in small concentrations in living organisms [1]; their deficiency or excess can lead to health problems [2]. Among the heavy metals that demand attention, cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As) are highlighted These are considered non-essential and with toxic effects on the ecosystem and for humans, depending on their concentration, chemical nature, or oxidation state [5]. Public Health 2020, 17, 2921; doi:10.3390/ijerph17082921 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

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