Potential health risk assessment of heavy metal accumulation in the selected food fishes from Krishna Esturine region of Southern Deltaic Region of India

Rapid development of industries result in the production of high amounts of solid or liquid wastes in the form of effluents, which are usually discarded into the nearby water bodies causing contamination of ecosystem. These industrial effluents released can pose great health hazards to aquatic organisms particularly fishes. A study was conducted between June 2016 and May 2017 to assess the concentration of Zn, Cu, Mn, Pb and Mn in muscle and liver tissues of selected food fishes namely Mugil cephalus and Sillago sihama from Krishna estuarine region of Andhra Pradesh in the Southern Deltaic Region of India. The investigation was aimed at revealing the differences in accumulation pattern of heavy metals in fishes inhabiting estuaries with varying metal bioavailability. The concentration of metals was higher in liver than that of muscle. The highest metal concentrations found in fishes can cause oxidative stress resulting in shortening of life span. Most of the effluents are contributed by sewage water and pollutants from local industries and shipping activities in Machilipatnam and Nizampatnam area. The Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), and Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) indicated that health risks-associated with heavy metal exposure via consumption of the fish's muscles were insignificant to human health. The present study suggests that metals present in the muscle tissues of both fishes are found to exceed the permissible limits of WHO. Furthermore, the potential health risk was observed in both fish samples showing the heavy metal contamination in this area.