Health risk assessment of selected heavy metals bioaccumulation in Laguna de Bay [Philippines] fish products
2011
Molina, V.B.
This study provides an assessment of the risks to human health associated with the exposure to heavy metals bioaccumulation in fish products from Laguna de Bay [Philippines]. Samples of five edible fish species namely: bangus [milkfish, chanos], bighead carp, dalag [mud fish Ophicephalus striatus], Kanduli [Arius manilensis] and tilapia were collected in eight sampling stations in three major areas of the lake during the dry and wet seasons. Dry season samples from Sep to Nov 2010. Coordinates of sampling site locations were recorded using Global Positioning System (GPS) and plotted in Geographic Information System (GIS) digital maps. Heavy metals analyses for cadmium (Cd), Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Arsenic (As), and Chromium (Cr) were conducted using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) and Mercury Analyzer (Mercur-Duo). Estimates of health risks associated with fish consumption were summarized according to non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic and carcinogenic health effects. Non-carcinogenic Health Quotient (NHQ) values of five heavy metals showed that lead is the most urgent pollutant of concern in terms of adverse health effects from risks associated with fish consumption from all sampling locations in the lake. Elevated health risk for Mercury exposure was also evident in the west bay and central bay particularly for dalag and kanduli species. Among the five heavy metals only Arsenic is a confirmed human carcinogenic (Class A) through the oral route of exposure. The highest life time cancer risk for arsenic was computed for tilapia from sampling station 2B (west bay) during the dry season with risk value of 8.5 x 10 sup -4 or an excess of 85 cancer cases per 100,000 populations. The lowest life time cancer risk for arsenic is computed for dalag, tilapia and kanduli from all sampling stations except 1B and 4 (northern west bay and south bay) during the wet season with risk value of 9.7 x 10 sup -7 or 1 cancer case per 10,000,000 populations. From the point of view of human health protection and disease prevention, fish products from the lake particularly bangus, bighead carp, dalag, kanduli and tilapia are not fit for human consumption primarily due to lead contamination.
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