Levels and health risk assessment of potential toxic elements in three dominant fish species from the Beibu Gulf, South China Sea.

In this study, eight potential toxic elements (PTEs) and stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) were analyzed in three dominant fish species of the Beibu Gulf, namely Saurida tumbil, Pennahia macrocephalus and Upeneus sulphureus. The mean contents (mg/kg, dry weight) of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn in the three species of fish were 10.94, 0.11, 0.55, 2.00, 5.80, 0.47, 0.39, 41.70, respectively. Cr, Mn and Pb showed potential biomagnification effects in fish bodies while Cu and Zn were biodiluted through the food chain. The results of the health risk assessment showed that the total hazard quotient (THQ) ranged from 0.11 to 0.32 and 1.34 to 1.70 and the total carcinogenic risk (TCR) ranged from 5.44 × 10-4 to 1.35 × 10-3 and 6.35 × 10-3 to 1.57 × 10-2 for adults and children, respectively. These results suggest that consumption of the three fish species by adults lead to carcinogenic health risks and consumption of the three fish species by children would result in significant adverse health effects.