Are Chinese consumers at risk due to exposure to metals in crayfish? A bioaccessibility-adjusted probabilistic risk assessment. (March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Peng, Qian; Nunes, Luís M.; Greenfield, Ben K.; Dang, Fei; Zhong, Huan
• Is Part Of: Environment international. Volume 88(2016:Mar.)
• Page Start: 261
• Page End: 268
• Publication Date: 2016-03
• Subjects: HQ hazard quotient -- HI hazard index -- ILTR increased lifetime risk -- FAO Food and Agriculture Organization -- NBSC National Bureau of Statistics of China -- USITC United States International Trade Commission -- MLYR middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River -- ICP-MS inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy -- CRM certified reference material -- USEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency -- RfD reference dose -- EDI estimated daily intake -- CSF cancer slope factor -- IR ingestion rate -- BW body weight -- ED exposure duration -- EF exposure frequency -- AT averaging time -- NCRPM National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements -- MCS Monte Carlo Simulation -- pd probability distribution -- USFDA United States Food and Drug Administration; Metal -- Crayfish -- Human health risk assessment -- Uncertainty -- Sensitivity; Environmental protection -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Environmental monitoring -- Periodicals; Environmental Monitoring -- Periodicals; Environnement -- Protection -- Périodiques; Hygiène du milieu -- Périodiques; Environnement -- Surveillance -- Périodiques; Environmental health; Environmental monitoring; Environmental protection; Periodicals; 333.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2015.12.035
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0160-4120

Abstract

Abstract: Freshwater crayfish, the world's third largest crustacean species, has been reported to accumulate high levels of metals, while the current knowledge of potential risk associated with crayfish consumption lags behind that of finfish. We provide the first estimate of human health risk associated with crayfish ( Procambarus clarkii ) consumption in China, the world's largest producer and consumer of crayfish. We performed Monte Carlo Simulation on a standard risk model parameterized with local data on metal concentrations, bioaccessibility (φ), crayfish consumption rate, and consumer body mass. Bioaccessibility of metals in crayfish was found to be variable (68–95%) and metal-specific, suggesting a potential influence of metal bioaccessibility on effective metal intake. However, sensitivity analysis suggested risk of metals via crayfish consumption was predominantly explained by consumption rate (explaining > 92% of total risk estimate variability), rather than metals concentration, bioaccessibility, or body mass. Mean metal concentrations (As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Se and Zn) in surveyed crayfish samples from 12 provinces in China conformed to national safety standards. However, risk calculation of φ-modified hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) suggested that crayfish metals may pose a health risk for very high rate consumers, with a HI of over 24 for the highest rate consumers. Additionally, the φ-modified increased lifetime risk (ILTR) for carcinogenic effects due to the presence of As was above the acceptable level (10 − 5 ) for both the median (ILTR = 2.5 × 10 − 5 ) and 90th percentile (ILTR = 1.8 × 10 − 4 ), highlighting the relatively high risk of As in crayfish. Our results suggest a need to consider crayfish when assessing human dietary exposure to metals and associated health risks, especially for high crayfish-consuming populations, such as in China, USA and Sweden. Graphical abstract: Highlights: Metals in crayfish may pose a risk to high consumption rate individuals in China. Arsenic contributes most to the risk (hazard index) of metals in crayfish. Metal bioaccessibilities in crayfish are variable and metal-specific. Consumption rate is the most important in controlling risk of crayfish metals. Crayfish should be considered when assessing human dietary exposure to metals.