Copper in Commercial Marine Fish: From Biomonitoring to the ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance) Method

Abstract

The presence of potentially harmful metals in commercially available saltwater fish has been extensively documented in scientific literature. This has demonstrated the significance of monitoring the crucial copper (Cu) levels in fish fillets from a perspective focused on human health risks (HHR). This study aimed to evaluate the human health risk (HHR) associated with the presence of Cu in 40 different species of commercial marine fish purchased from Malaysia. The fish samples were gathered from various sources from April to May 2023. The 40 species of commercial marine fish had concentrations of Cu (0.72–82.3 mg/kg dry weight) that fell below acceptable levels defined by seafood safety recommendations. Therefore, these fish are considered good sources of the essential element. The target hazard quotient values for Cu were below 1, suggesting that the hazards of Cu from fish eating are non-carcinogenic. Furthermore, it was discovered that the computed values for the predicted weekly consumption were lower than the defined provisional tolerated weekly intake of Cu. Consuming fish purchased from Malaysia is unlikely to harm consumers’ necessary copper intake. However, it is crucial to consistently monitor the safety of consumers who heavily depend on commercially caught marine fish from Malaysia. This monitoring is an essential aspect of implementing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices, which industries are concerned about and report on annually.