Potential health risk assessment of some bioaccumulated metals in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) cultured in Kafr El-Shaikh farms, Egypt

• Published in: Environmental research 2021-09, Vol.200, p.111358, Article 111358
• Main Authors: Shaaban, Nashwa A., Tawfik, Samar, El-Tarras, Wael, El-Sayed Ali, Tamer
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquaculture; drainage water; Egypt; Estimated daily intake; farmed fish; Fish tissue; Hazardous index; health effects assessments; Histopathology; human health; humans; liver; Metals; Oreochromis niloticus; risk; risk assessment; spectroscopy; Target hazard quotient; toxicity
• ISSN: 0013-9351
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111358

In Egypt, using agricultural drainage water is a serious challenge for fish farming, due to water scaristy. Metals could be a potential threat to the quality of the cultured fish. Thus, this study aimed to assess the content of the metals in the cultured fish, their effect on the fish tissues, and the possible human health risk upon their consumption. This accomplished firstly, by determining the levels of essential Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, beside the top three most toxic metals (Cr, Cd, and Pb) in the edible muscles and liver of 200 samples of Oreochromis niloticus cultured at three fish farms, using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The results showed the order of abundance: Fe > Zn > Cu ≥ Cr > Mn > Pb > Cd. Levels of Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu in the fish liver were higher than corresponding values of muscles by 3, 3, 5, 9 order of magnitude, respectively. The histopathological examination showed alternations in muscles and liver tissues of fish farms irrigated with drainage water. However, the risk assessment indicated the safe human consumption of cultured fish produced from these fish farms. •Seven metals were measured in Oreochromis niloticus cultured at Egyptian fish farms.•Levels of most metals in liver were higher than those in muscle tissues.•Metals content in edible tissues were below the corresponding permissible limits.•Histopathological changes were observed in fish tissues cultured in drainage water.•Fish cultured in farms feeded by agricultural drains are safe for human consumption.