Heavy metals and trace minerals in commonly available shark species from North East Arabian Sea: A human health risk perspective

Abstract

Shark is a seafood commodity that is a good source of minerals and accumulates heavy metals and trace elements through biomagnification, which can pose health risk if taken above the permissible limit. A study was conducted on commonly landed eleven shark species (Scoliodon laticaudus, Rhizopriodon oligolinx, Sphyrna lewini (CR), Carcharhinus macloti, Carcharinus limbatus, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchoides, Carcharhinus sorrah, Carcharinus falciformes( VU), Glaucostegus granulatus, Chiloscyllium arabicum, Loxodon macrorhinus) and analyzed for their heavy metal content, Hazard Index, Total Hazard Quotient, Metal Pollution Index, and also calculated the health risk associated with the consumption. Most of the heavy metals and trace minerals were found to be within the acceptable limit. The Targeted Hazard Quotient (THQ) and the Hazard Index (HI) of all the species except two were less than 1 (HI ≤ 1.0). The Metal Pollution Index (MPI) is showing either no impact or very low contamination. An overall study on hazard identification and health risk characterization in terms of heavy metals shows contamination of some heavy metals in sharks, but there is no potential human health risk associated with consumption.