Occurrence and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in marine organisms from Shenzhen coastal waters and human health risk assessment

Abstract

This study investigated the levels and composition of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in marine organisms from South China Sea and assessed their potential health risks. The results revealed that the pollution levels of total PAHs ranged from 3.56 to 392.21 ng/g dw. Notably, 4-ring PAHs constituted the predominant fraction (58.02 %) of the total PAHs, with pyrene being the most abundant congener across all species. Intriguingly, our findings suggested that consuming these organisms might pose a low non-cancer hazard. Nonetheless, benzo[a]pyrene was detected in most species, with levels ranging from non-detectable to 11.24 ng/g dw. The individual lifetime cancer risk levels associated with seafood consumption in studied regions ranged from 1.10 × 10−5 to 1.52 × 10−5, highlighting a potential cancer risk that warrants special attention. These findings emphasize the need to prioritize carcinogenic compounds over total PAHs and underscore the importance of continuous monitoring of PAH pollution in seafood.