Trace metal exposure and risk assessment of local dominant fish species in the Beijiang River Basin of China: A 60 years' follow-up study

The Beijiang River, one of the Pearl River tributaries located in Guangdong, China, plays a critical role in providing water and fishery resources for the Pearl River Delta and receiving a large amount of domestic and industrial wastewater. However, due to the lack of historical monitoring data, we...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Science of the total environment 2023-12, Vol.904, p.166322-166322, Article 166322
Main Authors: Liao, Zengquan, Li, Zhilin, Wu, Maorong, Zeng, Keqin, Han, Hongyu, Li, Chao, Fan, Ruifang, Pang, Qihua
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Fish specimen
Health risk
ICP-MS
Industrialization
Trace metal
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Summary:The Beijiang River, one of the Pearl River tributaries located in Guangdong, China, plays a critical role in providing water and fishery resources for the Pearl River Delta and receiving a large amount of domestic and industrial wastewater. However, due to the lack of historical monitoring data, we are unable to fully understand the relationship between the industrial and agricultural development and the environment. In this study, fish specimens collected from the Beijiang River Basin over a span of nearly 60 years (1963–2021) are used as research objects and the concentrations of ten trace metals (TMs) in two locally dominant fish species were determined by an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. The human health risks caused by consuming fishes were assessed. Results show a correlation between the levels of TMs in fish muscle and the degree of industrialization. The concentrations of Cr, Mn, Ni, and Cu peaked during the period of 1981–1983, when China's industrial development was rapidly expanding while the environmental protection facilities were incomplete. However, with the implementation of Ecological Civilization policy, the levels of Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Cd, and Ba showed a downward trend in the period from 2018 to 2021. Cu concentrations in both fish muscle and viscera exhibit analogous change patterns across different periods, indicating that Cu serves as a significant indicator of TM pollution in the Beijiang River Basin. The presence of TMs in fish muscle often exhibits long-term enrichment, while those in the viscera demonstrate short-term accumulation. Based on the estimated daily intake, the target hazard quotient (THQ), and total THQ value, the overall health risk associated with TMs in fish from the Beijiang River Basin is low. However, certain TMs in the fish rebounded during 2018–2021, posing a potential risk for aquatic biology and ecosystems, which is worth our attention. [Display omitted] •TMs in fish muscle show a certain correlation with the degree of industrialization.•Cu is a significant indicator for TM pollution in fish species in the Beijiang River Basin.•Long-term enrichment of TMs occurs in fish muscles while short-term in viscera.•Contents of certain TMs in fish have rebounded during period from 2018 to 2021.•The risk assessment of TMs has been traced back via fish species for nearly 60 years.
ISSN:0048-9697
1879-1026
DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166322