Abstract
Marine clam is one of the main sources of arsenic (As), and the tidal flats of Jiangsu Province are considered major culturing areas for clams in mid-eastern China. In view of increasingly severe pollution in this region, concerns have been raised by the consumers with the safety of clams they purchased or may purchase. To address these concerns, we conducted a multi-year survey to determine the levels of As and As species in five major clam species cultivated in eight production areas of this region. Based on the above analysis data, Bayesian statistics used a Markov Chain Monte Carlo approach was applied to predict the toxic As residue distributions in clams produced in this region and their health risks to Chinese adults. It was found that the bioaccumulation ability of total As (tAs) and inorganic As (iAs) was species-specific, while Mactra veneriformis (MV) had the strongest accumulation capacity for toxic iAs (0.22–2.85 mg/kg dw). Up to 6.7% of the tested MV samples exceeding the iAs limit of China Food and Drug Administration. The content of iAs was also found to be related significantly to the harvest seasons, with clam in the spawning period (June) having the lowest iAs concentrations. The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risk from dietary exposure to iAs associated with MV consumption was rather high, which suggested that specific attention should be paid to the safety of clam consumption in this region.
Highlights
Over the past 10 years, the pollution of the marine environment of China has become increasingly severe, for heavy metal pollution (Wang et al, 2013; Zhang et al, 2013; Bi et al, 2017; Xiao et al, 2017; Cao et al, 2020)
Among the 486 collected samples, we found that the bioaccumulation of total As (tAs) and inorganic As (iAs) was species-specific
Our studies demonstrated that the bioaccumulation of tAs and iAs in clam samples was influenced by sampling seasons
Summary
Over the past 10 years, the pollution of the marine environment of China has become increasingly severe, for heavy metal pollution (Wang et al, 2013; Zhang et al, 2013; Bi et al, 2017; Xiao et al, 2017; Cao et al, 2020). More than 20 large rivers and irrigation canals along the coast of mid-eastern China bring terrestrial materials, including heavy metals, into the tidal flats and seas (Cao et al, 2020). Clams With Arsenic Pollution China the tidal flats of this area are reportedly one of the most polluted regions along the coast of China (Cao et al, 2020). Coastal tidal flats in Jiangsu province comprise a major culturing area for marine clams, such as Mactra veneriformis (MV), Ruditapes philippinarum (VP), Meretrix meretrix (MM), Cyclina sinensis (CS), Sinonovacula constricta (SC), and others. Because of the severe pollution, it is extremely important to assess the safety of clam products from this region
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
