Health risk assessment of heavy metals in three invertebrate species collected along Alexandria Coast, Egypt

摘要

The distribution of eight heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni, Pb and Cd) in three species namelyPinctada radiata,Brachidontes pharaonisandHolothuria poliiwas determined seasonally from seven stations along Alexandria Coast, Mediterranean Sea, Egypt. Relatively the highest annual averages for each of the eight investigated metals during the period of the current study were found inPinctada radiata. On the other hand, the lowest averages were found inHolothuria poliifor Fe, Zn, Pb, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Cd, and inBrachidontes pharaonisfor Mn (3.405?μg/g wet weight). In addition, the metal pollution assessment in mussels revealed that the total target hazard quotients were decreased in the order ofBrachidontes pharaonis(0.198)?>?Holothuria polii(0.080)?>?Pinctada radiata(0.051). The target hazard quotients (THQs) values for each of the individual metal (Mn, Cu, Zn, Cr, Pb and Cd) in the investigated species were found much smaller than one, indicating that there is no human risk from their consumption.