Arsenic species in coastal marine fish species from the Southwest Atlantic Ocean: Human health risk implications

Abstract

This study analyzed total arsenic (As) and As species concentrations in muscle and liver of marine fish species commercially important of the southwest Atlantic coast. Most total As levels exceeded national and international regulations, Urophycis brasiliensis exhibited the highest total As and toxic As species levels (total As: 16.2 and 22.3 mg kg− 1 ww and toxic As species: 0.54 and 3.21 mg kg− 1 ww in muscle and liver respectively). Differences in As concentrations among species and tissues were found. Dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) was the predominant toxic As species, followed by methylarsonic acid (MA) and inorganic As (iAs). Estimated daily intake indicated no risk from muscle consumption, but liver exceeded safety thresholds for fishermen population, who consume fish at twice the rate of the general population, the higher value found was in U. brasiliensis (7.14*10− 4 –1.69*10− 3 mg kg-1bw day− 1 ). Target hazard quotient values estimated using total As surpassed safety limits, while the 100 % of target hazard index values estimated using As species (DMA, MA and iAs) were within acceptable ranges. Cancer risk values calculated with DMA, MA and iAs exceeded safety thresholds for fishermen and general population, the 76 % of CR values estimated in liver samples exceeded the inadmissible limit, on the contrary, CRiAs values remained within and below the reevaluation range (<10− 4 and > 10− 6 ). These results highlight the need for species-specific risk evaluations and regulatory guidelines for toxic As species in fish.