Potential toxic elements in edible shrimp and other edible parts: A health risk assessment

Pollutant pollution caused by heavy metals is considered a significant problem worldwide. Consuming food, drinking water, and breathing in air are the primary routes through which heavy metals enter the human body. Shellfish are a source of heavy metals for humans, despite being a significant source of protein derived from animals, vitamins, and trace minerals. The influence of seasons on the heavy metal burden in shellfish has received less attention than it should have.

The purpose of this research was to determine the levels of harmful metal residues, including lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As), present in the edible parts of crab and shrimp intended for human consumption. A risk evaluation for human health was also computed, in addition to the predicted daily intakes that were calculated.

A collection of crab and shrimp samples was made near the coasts of the Red Sea in Suez city, Egypt, throughout the winter and summer seasons. Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) was used to detect heavy metals such as lead and cadmium, while cold vapor AAS was used to measure arsenic and mercury. Additional computations were made regarding daily intakes as well as potential hazards.

The findings of this research indicated that the toxic elements lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury were present in the edible tissues of shrimp and crab samples that were collected from Egypt. Compared with shrimp, crabs in particular displayed larger levels of these components in their bodies. When the samples collected in the summer were compared with those obtained in the winter, it was found that the heavy metal burden in the samples was much higher in the winter.

When the potential health hazards associated with consuming such shellfish were estimated, it is possible that the Egyptian population was put in danger due to the presence of harmful metals. Therefore, it is suggested that you reduce the amount of crab and shrimp that you consume on a daily basis, particularly during winter.