Multivariate analysis of heavy metals and human health risk implications associated with fish consumption from the Yangtze river in Zhenjiang city, China.

Abstract Heavy metal contamination in aquatic environments has been a hot topic in the past decades. The current study aims to analyze levels of heavy metals and human health risk implications associated with fish consumption from the Yangtze River. Muscles of 60 fish samples which comprised six different fish species: Hypophthalmichthys molitrix , Ctenopharyngodon idellus , Blicca bjoerkna , Mylopharyngodon piceus , Carassius carassius, and Pelteobagrus fulvidraco ; were analyzed for total lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), aluminium (Al) cobalt (Co), magnesium (Mg), chromium (Cr), and copper (Cu). The health risk indicators associated with consumers’ health were estimated for both children and adults. The finding of the study revealed that of the analyzed metals, Zn recorded the highest mean concentration of 9.87 µg/g in Carassius carassius followed by Mn (7.97 µg/g) in Pelteobagrus fulvidraco , Cu (2.07 µg/g) in Mylopharyngodon piceus , Pb (1.04 µg/g) in Hypophthalmichthys molitrix , Cr (0.63 µg/g) in Hypophthalmichthys molitrix , Cd (0.19 µg/g) in Blicca bjoerkna and Ni (0.16 µg/g) in Pelteobagrus fulvidraco all measured in wet weight ( w/w ). In addition, the health risk assessments revealed that children are at heightened non-carcinogenic risk for Pb, Cd, and Co upon consuming the examined fish species. The principal component analysis revealed that the pollution of metals in the Yangtze River originates mainly from anthropogenic activities and could deteriorate the quality of fish in the Yangtze River. Therefore, this study could contribute scientific information to help in proper monitoring and regulations to protect the natural resources and human health along the Yangtze River.