Federal University of the Amazon, Institute of Biological Sciences, Av. Rodrigo Ramos 3000, Manaus 69077-000, Brazil.
Federal University of Pernambuco, Department of Zoology, Av. Prof Moraes Rego 1235, Cidade Universitária, Recife 50670-901, Brazil.
J Environ Sci (China). 2025 Feb;148:230-242. doi: 10.1016/j.jes.2023.12.029. Epub 2024 Jan 2.
Fish constitutes the main protein source for the Amazonian population. However, the impact of different anthropogenic activities on trace element and metal accumulation in fish and their risks for human health at a regional scale remain largely unexplored. Here we assessed exposure levels of 10 trace elements and metals (Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb, and Hg) in 56 samples belonging to 11 different species of fish from the Brazilian Amazon. We studied the relationship between exposure levels, fish origin, and fish feeding habits, and assessed toxicological and carcinogenic risks for the Amazonian population. No significant correlation was found between sampling site and exposure levels to the studied elements, but a significant difference was found between the accumulation of some metals and the position of the fish species in the food chain. The concentrations of Cr and Hg in fish flesh were found to exceed the Brazilian limits for human consumption. This study shows that current fish consumption patterns can lead to estimated daily intakes of Hg, As and Cr that exceed the oral reference dose, thus posing a toxicological concern. Furthermore, carcinogenic risks may be expected due to the continued exposure to Cr and As. The results of this study show that the consumption of wild caught fish in the Amazon region should be controlled. Moreover, continued monitoring of trace element and metal contamination in fish and on the health of the Amazonian population is recommended, particularly for riverine and indigenous communities.
鱼类是亚马逊地区居民的主要蛋白质来源。然而，在区域尺度上，不同人为活动对鱼类中微量元素和金属元素积累的影响及其对人类健康的风险仍很大程度上尚未得到探索。在这里，我们评估了巴西亚马逊地区 56 个来自 11 个不同鱼类物种样本中 10 种微量元素和金属（Cr、Mn、Fe、Ni、Cu、Zn、As、Cd、Pb 和 Hg）的暴露水平。我们研究了暴露水平、鱼类来源和鱼类摄食习性之间的关系，并评估了亚马逊地区人口的毒理学和致癌风险。研究结果表明，在所研究的元素中，采样点与暴露水平之间没有显著相关性，但一些金属的积累与鱼类在食物链中的位置之间存在显著差异。鱼肉中 Cr 和 Hg 的浓度被发现超过了巴西的人类消费限量。本研究表明，目前的鱼类消费模式可能导致估计每日 Hg、As 和 Cr 的摄入量超过口服参考剂量，从而构成毒理学关注。此外，由于持续暴露于 Cr 和 As，还可能存在致癌风险。本研究结果表明，应控制亚马逊地区野生鱼类的消费。此外，建议继续监测鱼类中微量元素和金属污染以及亚马逊地区人口的健康状况，特别是针对河流和土著社区。
