Evaluation of heavy metals carcinogenesis due to fish consumption in Bandar Abbas City

The northern strip of Persian Gulf, especially the Bandar Abbas area, is one of the main fish supply points in the country, thus the contamination of edible fishes in the area into heavy metals may pose so many concerns. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of lead and cadmium in the edible part of the Pelagic, Mezoeic and Bentic fishes delivered in Bandar Abbas city.

In this descriptive-analytical study, 81 samples of surface, middle and demersal fish were sampled in Bandar Abbas fish market using nesting or hierarchical process. Edible parts of the Fishes were digested by microwave and the concentration of lead and cadmium was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Finally, estimated daily index (EDI), target hazard quotients (THQ) or non-carcinogenic risk and carcinogenic risk (CR) associated with the consumption of the fishes contaminated to the heavy metals were calculated.

The average concentration of Lead in Pelagic, Mezoeic and Bentic Fishes were 0.03, 0.019, 0.04 mg/kg, respectively. The corresponding concentrations for cadmium were 0.0028, 0.002, 0.0056 mg/kg, respectively. In terms of human health, the THQ values for each element and the TTHQ values for the combined elements were less than 1.Moreover, CR values for both metals were lower than the acceptable lifetime cancer risk of 10-5.

According to EDI, THQ, TTHQ, CR, and acceptable safety constraint by different organizations, consumption of examined fish species won’tposeany significant human health risk.