Assessing risk to human health for potentially toxic elements in farmed and wild giant tiger prawn (Paeneas monodon) in the coastal area of Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

Giant tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) is an important marine crustacean widely reared for food all over the world but poses a health risk if it is contaminated by toxic elements. Potentially toxic elements (PTEs), i.e. copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) in wild- and farm-cultured prawns were measured for the first time to assess the levels of PTEs, their sources and health risks. Average concentrations (mg/kg) of Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Cd, Pb, Mn and Zn in farm prawn were 3.13, 3.06, 14.21, 1.28, 0.50, 1.32, 5.89 and 7.68, respectively, and in wild prawn, they were 0.98, 2.43, 8.48, 0.45, 0.19, 0.46, 2.77 and 3.88, respectively. Except Ni and Zn, the concentrations of PTEs in prawn samples were higher than the maximum allowable concentration (MAC), indicating their contamination by PTEs which might pose risks to human health. Multivariate principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that anthropogenic activities including industrial wastes and agricultural chemicals are substantial sources of PTEs in the samples. Estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ) and target carcinogenic risk (CR) assessed for potential human health risk implications suggest that the values were slightly higher than the acceptable threshold for both adults and children.

KEYWORDS:

• Bangladesh
• coastal area
• potentially toxic elements
• wild and farm prawn

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the authority of the University of Tokyo, Japan, for providing laboratory facilities. Furthermore, we are thankful for the kind help from the members of the Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU), Bangladesh during the field sampling. The authors extend their appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University for funding this work through Small Groups Project under grant number (RGP.1/215/43).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).