Assessment of the concentration, enzymatic activity, and health risks of heavy metals in Tilapia and Pangasius raised for human consumption

doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-2168969/v1

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Assessment of the concentration, enzymatic activity, and health risks of heavy metals in Tilapia and Pangasius raised for human consumption

https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2168969/v1

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Heavy metal contamination of fish is a global safety concern for the consumers. Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) was used to measure the concentration of three HMs (As, Pb, and Cr) in two commercially farmed fish species that are widely consumed: Oreochromis niloticus (tilapia) and Pangasianodon hypophthalmus (pangasius). This investigation was done to determine whether there was any potential health risk. The concentration of the studied heavy metals was within standard acceptable limits. As, Cr, and Pb had respective mean concentrations of 0.037 ± 0.023 mg/kg, 0.005 ± 0.002 mg/kg and 0.029 ± 0.015 mg/kg in the case of tilapia; and 0.049 ± 0.017 mg/kg, 0.007 ± 0.005 mg/kg and 0.024 ± 0.009 mg/kg, respectively, in the case of pangasius. Hierarchical clustering revealed that As may come through seepage and groundwater, while Cr and Pb are the products of contaminated feeds. ALP and ATPase activity varied significantly amongst the fishes' various organs. However, multiple regression analysis revealed that the current concentration of HMs in tilapia and pangasius was insufficient to predict enzymatic activity except for ALP in pangasius gill. The results of calculations for estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI), and carcinogenic risk (CR) indices made it abundantly evident that eating the fish under study posed no significant harm to the consumers' health. In conclusion, the contamination level of farmed tilapia and pangasius sold in the study area was within the permissible limit, however regular monitoring is needed to assure safe production.

Heavy metals

Tilapia

Pangasius

ALP activity

ATPase activities

Human health risk assessment

Fish organs

A natural occurring metal having an atomic number larger than 20 is referred to as a heavy metal (HM) (Ali and Khan, 2017). The HMs, which are extremely persistent and biodegradable by nature, can easily accumulate in the riverine ecosystem's water and sediments and pose health risks to both humans and aquatic life (Jewel et al., 2020; Haque et al., 2019). Because HMs are biodegradable and persistent, they can build up in many fish organs and have a harmful impact on human health when consumed. The buildup of HMs is primarily restricted to the kidney, liver, and muscles of human body and is linked to a number of negative health effects, including both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic concerns (Sapkota et al. 2008).

HMs like arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), and lead (Pb) can be extremely toxic to all living things at very low concentrations (Tchounwon et al., 2012), causing several physiological system disruptions that have some carcinogenic consequences to the human health (Varol et al., 2017). Children who consume these metals in excess risk dying or developing learning disabilities (Ullah et al., 2017). Because of this, the bioaccumulation of HMs in fish organs is a serious threat to human food security worldwide, especially when their concentration exceeds the permissible level (Hossain et al., 2022).

The bioaccumulation of HMs in fish is influenced by a number of variables, such as the trophic level, bioavailability, and environmental metal content. Therefore, As a result, HMs contamination of the environment has a negative impact on the functioning of the aquatic ecosystem and the diversity of aquatic animals (Ayanda et al., 2019) and exerts numerous environmental risks and concerns (Ullah et al., 2019). Fish consume food, ingest suspended matter in the water, exchange ions through their gills, and absorb HMs through their tissue (Mansour and Sidky, 2002). As a result, the concentration of HMs in fish gills can portray their levels in water and serve as a gauge for the condition of the habitat. Although the gills are the primary absorbing organs, the liver, kidney, and muscles can also store a variety of HMs from the environment depending on a series of variables, including the age of the fish, their trophic level, the condition of their habitat, etc. (Sarker et al., 2021). Higher amounts of heavy metals can only be harmful to fish because they alter their metabolism, physiology, and biochemical makeup (Atli and Canli, 2007). In several fish organs, HMs can change the activity of vital enzymes like alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and ATPase (Viarengo, 1985). A multipurpose enzyme called ALP is essential for the mineralization of the fish skeleton (Zikic et al., 2001). Additionally, the membrane-bound enzyme ATPases controls membrane permeability, osmotic pressure, and cellular volume (Li et al., 2011). Numerous studies have documented the modification of these two enzymes in response to metal exposure and stress, with the alteration primarily causing fish gills, kidneys, and intestinal malfunction (Atli and Canli, 2007, 2011a, 2011b). Therefore, it is possible to use fish ALP and ATPase activities as a marker for the early warning signals of metal-derived damage to fish physiological condition and risk assessment for the ecosystem (Kulac et al., 2013). Additionally, because fish and other aquatic animals make up a substantial portion of the average person's diet (Ahmed et al., 2019), determining the amount HMs present in various organ tissues of fishes can serve as a reliable indicator for both the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic concerns to humans (Liu et al., 2020).

For the people of Bangladesh, fish is arguably one of the most trustworthy sources of protein. Fish is the primary source of protein consumed in this nation and accounts more than 60% of the consumable protein. (FRSS, 2020). The farming of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and pangasius (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus), which together accounted for more than 36% of the country's total fish production, dominates Bangladeshi aquaculture (DoF, 2021). When compared to other cultivable fish species, tilapia and pangasius farming are likewise regarded as the most profitable and prolific culture systems (Alam and Haque, 2021). Recent investigations, however, have highlighted questions regarding the consumption of these two species that may be contaminated with HMs (Alam and Haque, 2021; Mansur et al., 2021 and 2018; Ullah et al., 2017). Farmers frequently use water for their culture ponds from adjacent rivers and canals, which may contain harmful metals. Chemicals and diets formulated with raw materials having high quantities of metals can also introduce HMs into fishponds (Alam and Haque, 2021; Mannzhi et al., 2021). For instance, Fatema et al. (2019) observed that the ingestion of contaminated feeds was the main cause of the higher levels of Pb, Cd, and Cr in cultured fish. Rajeshkumar and Li (2018) also pointed out that consuming tainted water and food is what causes the infection of cultured fish. For the safety of consumer health risks, continuous heavy metal monitoring of these highly consumed cultured fish is therefore required so that the concentration of these HMs does not exceed permissible levels (Ali et al., 2019).

With a view to analyzing the concentrations of HMs and their potential sources as well as the potential risk assessment in human health, the current study set out to investigate the presence of three major HMs (As, Cr, and Pb) in the various organs of two highly consumed aquaculture fish species, tilapia and pangasius, which were collected from four major wholesale markets in Chattogram district of Bangladesh.

Ethics approval of the testing methodology

The testing methodology for this investigation, which covers HMs and enzymatic testing of tilapia and pangasius, was approved in accordance with the policies and procedures of the laboratory of applied chemistry and chemical technology at Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU), Bangladesh.

Sample collection and preservation

Tilapia and pangasius were procured from four wholesale fish markets in the Chattogram district (formerly known as Chittagong), Bangladesh, which is situated between 21°54' and 22°59' north latitude and 91°17' and 92°13' east longitude and has a 5282.98 sq km land area (Fig. 1). Fifteen individuals of each species were collected from each market and were then evaluated for HMs analysis in the targeted four organs (gills, kidney, liver and muscle). Thus, a total of 120 samples were studied during the study. The samples were collected and placed in a plastic bag that was carried to the laboratory of the applied chemistry and chemical technology of CVASU while being stored in an ice box. Each fish sample was cleaned in the lab to eliminate any dirt or other fouling materials. It was then placed into plastic bags with a unique identifying number and stored at -20 ° C in a refrigerator until the dissection was done. Fish samples were dissected, the organs were divided into different parts and cleansed with distilled water before being weighed. 200 g of each of the organs were then stored at 20°C after each sample was air dried to remove excess water. Each fish organ was replicated for three samples.

Sample digestion and metal analysis

According to the method outlined in UNEP Reference Methods (UNEP/FAO/IAEA/IOC, 1984), the samples were digested. Each organ sample weighed one (1) g, and it was put into a conical flask. Each flask was filled with a total of 30 ml of nitric acid and placed on a hot plate to boil. After the samples boiled, 30 ml of per-chloric acid was added, and the mixture was heated at 60 ° C for three days until just 1 ml was left. The flask was taken from the hot plate, mixed with 100 ml of distilled water, and then the final volume was filtered using filter paper (AOAC, 1995). Last but not least, the automatic absorption spectrophotometer (Model: AA-700, SHIMADZU, JAPAN) was used to measure levels of As, Cr, and Pb in various organs of tilapia and pangasius using the procedures outlined in AOAC (1995). The results of the control blank were utilized to verify the instrument's reading. According to Islam et al. (2018), the reagent (Merck VI; Germany) utilized for the analysis of the metals was prepared. The procedure' validity and correctness were examined in comparison to the approved reference material (CRM 320, Merck KGaA, Germany) (Hossain et al., 2018). In order to prevent cross contamination, the samples were prepared while wearing sterile lab coats and clean powder free latex gloves. Additionally, distilled water and chromic acid solutions were used to clean the glassware.

Determination of enzyme activity

Examined fish’s liver and muscles ALP (alkaline phosphatase) activity were assessed following the method of Garen and Levinthal (1960). The solution was made by mixing of 0.1 ml of 0.1 M magnesium chloride, 0.05 ml tissue homogenate, 0.1 ml of 0.1 M para-nitro-phenyl phosphate, 0, 0.2 ml of HCO3 buffer, and 0.5 mL of distilled water. The mixture was kept in the incubator at 37 ° C for 20 minutes. A ultra violet visible spectrophotometer (LT-2900, Germany) was used to determine optical density (OD) at 410 nm. The usual procedure outlined by Post and Sen was used to measure total ATPase enzyme activity (1967). A mixer of 100 mm NaCl, 20 mM potassium chloride, 3 mm magnesium chloride, 0.1 M HCl buffer, 0.1 ml tissue homogenate and 5 mm ATP was used. The reaction mixture was stopped using 10% TCA after 15 minutes of incubation and 660 nm OD was maintained (Fiske and Subbarow, 1925).

Human health risk assessment

The estimated daily intake (EDI) of each HMs was assessed by using the following formula (USEPA, 2018; Varol et al., 2017)

$$\text{EDI=}\frac{\text{Cn × IGr }}{\text{BWt}}$$

where Cn is the metal concentration in different organs (mg/kg dry-wt); IGr is the acceptable ingestion rate, which is 60 g/day for adults and 52.5 g/day for children (Alam and Haque, 2021; USEPA, 2018); Bwt is the body weight: 70 kg for adults and 15 kg for children (USEPA, 2018).

Target hazard quotient (THQ): The ratio of EDI and oral reference dose (RfD) was used to estimate THQ. RfDs for the As, Cr and Pb are 0.0003, 0.003 and 0.002, respectively (USEPA, 2018; Vu et al., 2017). The value of ratio < 1 implies a non-significant risk effect (Abtahi et al., 2017). The THQ formula is expressed as follows (Baki et al., 2018):

$$\text{THQ= }\frac{\text{Ed×Ep×EDI}}{\text{At×RfD}}\text{×}{\text{10}}^{\text{-3}}$$

Where Ed is exposure duration (70 years) (Alam and Haque, 2021); Ep is exposure frequency (365 days/year) (Ahmed et al., 2015); At is the average time for the non-carcinogenic element (Ed × Ep).

Hazard index (HI): Hazard index (HI) for As, Cr and Pb was calculated by the following equation (Alam and Haque, 2021):

HI =$\sum _{\text{i=k}}^{\text{n}}\text{THQs}$

where, THQs is the estimated risk value of metals. Consumers are supposed to be in danger of non-carcinogenic risk effect when the HI value is higher than 10 (Fakhri et al., 2017).

Carcinogenic risk (CR): Carcinogenic risk is evaluated to assess probability of developing cancer risk by the following formula (Vieira et al., 2011):

$$\text{CR= }\frac{\text{Ed×Ep×EDI×CSf}}{\text{At}}\text{×}{\text{10}}^{\text{-3}}$$

Where CSf is oral slope factor of specific carcinogen (mg/kg-day) (USEPA, 2000). Available CSf values (mg/kg-day) are: As (1.5), Cr (0.5) and Pb (0.0085) (USEPA, 2010). The acceptable range of the risk limit is 10^− 6 to 10^− 4 (Yin et al., 2015). CRs higher than 10^− 4 are likely to increase the probability of carcinogenic risk effect (USEPA, 2018).

Data visualization and statistical analyses

The version 20 of SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) and the R environment (R Core Team, 2020) were used for data visualization and statistical analyses (IBM SPSS, Armonk, NY, USA). The mean and standard deviation (Mean ± SD) were used to summarize the data collected during the current investigation. The normality of the data was checked using Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests, and non-normal data were square rooted before being used in the multivariate analysis. To identify the significant differences in HMs and enzymatic parameters across the various organs of tilapia and pangasius, the Kruskal-Wallis test with Tukey's post-hoc comparison (ANOVA, P 0.05) was used. Furthermore, a 2-tailed Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the studied parameters between the fishes (P 0.05). Ward's linkage method was used to conduct cluster analysis (CA) in order to pinpoint the potential origin of HMs. Spearman rank correlation was used to determine a significant correlation (at P < 0.05) among the HMs in the studied fishes. Additionally, multiple linear regression analysis was used to predict the ALP activity and ATPase in various fish organs by the concentration of HMs at a significance threshold of P 0 < 0.05.

Concentrations of heavy metals

Figure 2 displays various metal concentrations in gill, kidney, liver, and muscle of O. niloticus and P. hypophthalmus. In all of the O. niloticus organs that were studied, the concentration of As (gills, 0.034 ± 0.017; liver, 0.029 ± 0.009; kidney, 0.068 ± 0.017; muscle, 0.018 ± 0.008 mg/kg) was considerably (P < 0.05) higher than the concentrations of Pb (gills, 0.038 ± 0.021; liver, 0.028 ± 0.008; kidney, 0.031 ± 0.01; muscle, 0.018 ± 0.007 mg/kg) and Cr (gills, 0.002 ± 0.000; liver, 0.008 ± 0.000; kidney, 0.007 ± 0.001; muscle, 0.003 ± 0.000 mg/kg). Accordingly, As > Pb > Cr (Fig. 2) is the order of the metals from higher to lower amounts found in the various organs of O. niloticus, with the exception of the organ gills, where Pb had the highest concentration. Likewise, the concentration of As (gills, 0.045 ± 0.012; liver, 0.056 ± 0.008; kidney, 0.062 ± 0.023; muscle, 0.035 ± 0.009 mg/kg) was significantly (P 0.05) higher in all of the P. hypophthalmus's studied organs than it was for Pb (gills, 0.033 ± 0.006; liver, 0.021 ± 0.008, kidney, 0.022 ± 0.010; muscle, 0.022 ± 0.007 mg/kg) and Cr (gills, 0.0018 ± 0.001; liver, 0.006 ± 0.000; kidney, 0.002 ± 0.000; muscle, 0.001 ± 0.000 mg/kg) (Table 1). Regarding contamination, the order in this fish was the same and followed the pattern As > Pb > Cr (Fig. 2).

Table 1

Statistics regarding HMs level in various organs of the experimental fishes
Kruskal-Wallis H test (Organs)						Mann-Whitney U test (Species)
Elements	O. niloticus		Elements	P. hypophthalmus		O. niloticus - P. hypophthalmus
Elements	H	P	Elements	H	P	Elements	U	P
As	149.03	0.000	As	98.02	0.000	As	17727.00	0.000
Cr	210.53	0.000	Cr	224.48	0.000	Cr	23808.50	0.001
Pb	58.71	0.000	Pb	73.14	0.000	Pb	25004.50	0.012
ALP	222.43	0.000	ALP	219.76	0.000	ALP	25650.00	0.038
ATPase	125.43	0.000	ATPase	136.44	0.000	ATPase	27012.00	0.239

Mean concentrations of As, Cr and Pb were varied significantly (P < 0.05) between the species. Higher concentrations of As (0.049 ± 0.017 mg/kg) and Cr (0.007 ± 0.005 mg/kg) were found in P. hypophthalmus compared to O. niloticus (As, 0.037 ± 0.023 and Cr, 0.005 ± 0.002 mg/kg). However, the significantly (P < 0.05) higher concentrations of Pb (0.029 ± 0.015 mg/kg) were recorded in O. niloticus followed by P. hypophthalmus (0.024 ± 0.009 mg/kg) (Fig. 3). Overall, As > Pb > Cr was the general sequence of the metals in both fishes. Additionally, metals can be arranged as follows based on their capacity to concentrate in the organs of O. niloticus: As = Kidney > Gills > Liver > Muscle, Cr = Liver > Kidney > Muscle > Gills, Pb = Gills > Kidney > Liver > Muscle and which in case of P. hypophthalms is As = Kidney > Liver > Gills > Muscle, Cr = Gills > Liver > Kidney > Muscle and Pb = Gills > Kidney > Muscle > Liver.

Source identification

Table 2 depicts the Spearman rank correlation coefficient along with their significant levels. For O. niloticus, there was a negligible correlation between As-Cr and As-Pb, but a considerably positive correlation between Cr-Pb. Similar findings were made with P. hypophthalmus, where As-Cr and As-Pb have insignificant correlations and Cr-Pb has a strong correlation. The correlation coefficient indicated that Cr and Pb might have a similar source of origin while As had a different source.

Table 2

Spearman rank correlation analysis among the metals
O. niloticus	As	Cr
Cr	0.220 (0.531)
Pb	0.126 (0.052)	0.420** (0.001)
P. hypophthalmus	As	Cr
Cr	0.224 (0.310)
Pb	0.018 (0.783)	0.302** (0.000)
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). Value in the parenthesis indicates P value.

The precise cause of the similarities between the metals was also clarified using the Ward-Linkage approach. Two distinct clusters were produced through a hierarchical cluster using Euclidean distance (Fig. 4). As is present in Cluster 1, while Pb and Cr are present in Cluster 2. As may have come from anthropogenic activity, whereas the metals Cr and Pb may have industrial origins.

Serum ALP and ATPase activities

Activities of both ALP and ATPase enzymes of serum are shown in Fig. 5. ALP activity and ATPase activity in O. niloticus was significantly higher (P 0.05) in the kidney, followed by the liver, gills, and muscle. However, ALP activity was significantly higher in Liver followed by Kidney, Gills and Muscles while significantly higher ATPase activity was recorded in the Kidney samples of P. hypophthalmus.

Influence of heavy metals on enzymatic activities

Table 3 shows the ALP activity and ATPase activities of various body parts of the examined fishes predicted by heavy metal concentrations. Heavy metal concentrations had no discernible impact on O. niloticus's ALP and ATPase activities. Significant effect on ALP activities (F = 3.181, P = 0.031) in gills of P. hypophthalmus with R² = 0.146, suggesting that the listed factors predict 14.60% of the variation. Cr was found to be the highest predictor of ALP activities (t = -2.87, p = 0.006). However, no significant effect of HMs was evident on ALP and ATPase activities of the other organs of P. hypophthalmus.

Table 3

Association between metal concentrations and enzymatic activities at different organs *O. niloticus* and *P. hypophthalmus*
O. niloticus
Tissue	Regression equation	Correlation coefficient (r)	P value
Gill	ALP = 2.63 + 0.00 As + 0.00 Cr + 0.01 Pb	0.021	0.755
Gill	ATPase = 0.36 + (-0.03) As + (-0.05) Cr + 0.08 Pb	0.016	0.829
Liver	ALP = 3.16 + 0.02 As + 0.02 Cr + (-0.03) Pb	0.044	0.466
Liver	ATPase = 2.35 + (-0.05) As + 0.50 Cr + (-0.23) Pb	0.071	0.243
Kidney	ALP = 3.03 + (-0.04) As + 0.01 Cr + (-0.03) Pb	0.082	0.182
Kidney	ATPase = 0.37 + 0.08 As + (-0.13) Cr + (-0.06) Pb	0.021	0.749
Muscle	ALP = 1.97 + 0.01 As + (-0.03) Cr + 0.01 Pb	0.022	0.742
Muscle	ATPase = 8.08 + (-0.06) As + 1.56 Cr + (-0.18) Pb	0.089	0.155
P. hypophthalmus
Gill	ALP = 0.06 + 0.03 As + (-0.64) Cr* + (-0.06) Pb	0.146	0.031
Gill	ATPase = 1.79 + 0.03 As + 0.43 Cr + (-0.22) Pb	0.029	0.641
Liver	ALP = 3.52 + 0.11 As + (-0.03) Cr + 0.01 Pb	0.057	0.345
Liver	ATPase = 0.59 + (-0.52) As + 0.24 Cr + (-0.05) Pb	0.072	0.237
Kidney	ALP = 2.20 + (-0.01) As + (-0.12) Cr + (-0.01) Pb	0.032	0.605
Kidney	ATPase = -2.73 + (-0.22) As + (-0.45) Cr + (-0.09) Pb	0.098	0.119
Muscle	ALP = 1.82 + (-0.02) As + (-0.06) Cr + 0.01 Pb	0.009	0.913
Muscle	ATPase = 2.88 + (-0.54) As + 0.66 Cr + 0.07 Pb	0.047	0.433
*results showed significant value at P < 0.05 for t-test.

Health risk assessment

The estimated EDI, THQ, and carcinogenic risk of heavy metals are shown in Table 4. In both adults and children, the EDI for O. nitolicus and P. hypophthalmus was in the order: As > Pb > Cr. Both the tilapia and pangasius had adult THQ values that ranged from 0.000 to 0.053 and 0.000 to 0.111, respectively. In both investigated fishes, THQ in children was also highest for As (0.211 and 0.872) and lowest for Cr (0.000). The THQ for all heavy metals was 1.0. HI was less than 1, suggesting that consuming these two fish species carries no cancer-causing hazards. Both O. niloticus and P. hypophthalmus had R values that fell below the threshold for a potentially carcinogenic risk in both adults and children.

Table 4

Estimated daily intake (EDI), non-carcinogenic (THQ) and carcinogenic (R) risks of studied contaminants
Heavy metals	EDI			THQ		R
Heavy metals	O. niloticus	P. hypophthalmus	MTDI (mg/kg bw/day)	O. niloticus	P. hypophthalmus	O. niloticus	P. hypophthalmus
Adult
As	0.01619	0.03104	0.13	0.05396	0.11141	3.47×10^− 7	6.65×10^− 7
Cr	0.00266	0.00090	0.23	0.00001	0.00001	1.90×10^− 8	6.42×10^− 9
Pb	0.01569	0.01956	0.25	0.04465	0.06018	1.89×10^− 9	2.38×10^− 9
HI				0.09861	0.17159
Children
As	0.06338	0.12151	0.13	0.21126	0.67236	6.34×10^− 6	1.22×10^− 6
Cr	0.01042	0.00352	0.23	0.00001	0.00001	7.44×10^− 8	1.17×10^− 7
Pb	0.06143	0.07658	0.25	0.17479	0.27125	7.45×10^− 9	4.34×10^− 8
HI				0.38606	0.94362

In Bangladesh, tilapia and pangasius are among the most popular fish that are consumed (FRSS, 2021). It is important to examine the HMs content of these two fish species because commercial pellet feed is a large determinant in the farming of these two species. The species of fish, the feeding habits, and the sources of the pollutants in their environment are the major predictors of the bioaccumulation of HMs in fish. When it comes to the bioaccumulation of metals, which could then enter the human food chain and entail major health risks, various fish organs react differently (Bravo et al., 2010). We found that, in comparison to the kidney, liver, and gills, the muscle has the lowest amount of HMs concentration, which is consistent with earlier research (Hossain et al. 2016; Parvin et al. 2019). As was found to be the most prevalent metal discovered during the study period, while different organs of the investigated fishes had varying affinities for the HMs. Pangasius had greater mean As and Cr concentrations, while tilapia had higher Pb content. Metal accumulation in fish varies depending on the species, and is often influenced by the species' feeding habits, metabolism, body temperature, and bio-concentration capability (Kwok et al., 2014). As a result, dietary preferences and metabolic considerations may be to blame for pangasius' higher metal absorption than tilapia.

The average As concentration was below the FAO (2006) and MOFL maximum permitted level (2014). The amount of As in the fish under study is also lower than what Rahman et al. (2012) found in the Bangshi River, where they looked at ten different fish species and detected As concentrations ranging from 1.97 to 6.24 mg/kg. Shah et al. (2009) also noted that freshwater fish from Bangladesh had an As content in the range of 1.01–1.52 mg/kg. However, the present finding was a bit higher compared to Resma et al. (2020) who reported that As concentration in tilapia and pangasius was 0.009 and 0.010, respectively. As is a substance that is constantly present in the environment and can get into a water body through both natural and artificial sources. The drainage water from tube wells may potentially enter the culture pond (Islam et al., 2022). Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that sampled fishes came from the ponds with drainage lining of tube wells. The concentration of Cr in this investigation was below the safe level for risks to human health. According to FAO (2006), WHO (2000), and MOFL (2014), the maximum acceptable range for Cr is between 0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg. The amount of Cr in the tested fishes were lower than that found in other studies, such as Alam and Haque (2021): 0.145 (ranged 0.09 to 0.20) and 0.315 (ranged 0.09 to 0.54) mg/kg, Resma et al. (2020): 0.123 and 0.120, Ullah et al. (2017): 0.086 and 0.121 ppm, and Ahmed et al. (2015): 1.274 and 1.349 ppm in tilapia and pangasius, respectively. In our study, Pb concentration in tilapia and pangasius was 0.024 ± 0.009 and 0.029 ± 0.015 mg/kg, respectively, which was within the permissible limit of Pb recommended by MOFL (0.3 mg/kg), US FDA and EU regulations (0.30 ppm), Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (ANHMRC) (2.0 mg/kg) and UK Lead in Food Regulation (2.0 mg/kg) (US FDA and EU regulations, 2004). The Pb values reported in the study by Alam and Haque (2021) varied from 1.30 to 1.95 ppm, which was considerably higher than the results of the current investigation. In comparison to this work, Ullah et al. (2017) showed a higher Pb concentrations of 0.947 ppm in tilapia and 0.313 ppm in pangasius. Untreated wastewater from domestic activities and industrial effluents, which may leak into fish farms via river water, are two potential sources of these HMs in the studied fishes. According to Islam et al. (2022), the sources of HMs in pond water is likely due to runoff from car washes and road construction sites, as well as other industrial effluents from textile, printing, and dyeing facilities. There are several research publications on the HMs pollution of rivers near the Chattogram district, which is brought on by the discharge of industrial effluents (Siddiqua et al., 2022; Ahmed et al., 2021; Hossain et al., 2021;). As a result, seepage from these polluted rivers may enter the fish farms and be to chastise for the HMs contamination of tilapia and pangasius in the present study. Moreover, it is thought that the main source of HMs in cultured fishponds comes from the feeds used in fish farming (Mannzhi et al., 2021; Das et al., 2017). Ingredients used to formulate fish feeds are often lower in quality and can be a potential source of possible HMs contamination in fish muscle (Mannan et al., 2018). According to studies, one kilogram of fish feed typically contains 60% soy oil cake, crushed rice, and dry fish, along with 40% flesh bone. In most cases, meat bone used in the formulation of fish feed comes from the tannery waste containing huge amounts of Cr. Consequently, the contamination of farmed fish caused using this solid tannery waste in fish feed is severe (Hossain et al. 2007; Hasan et al., 2016).

While ATPase activity varies from organ to organ in fish exposed to the toxicity of HMs, the present data revealed a substantial difference in the activity of ALP and ATPase enzymes in the serum of tilapia and pangasius, which is confirmed by the earlier investigations (Atli and Canli, 2007). Increased ALP and ATPase activity is typically associated with liver cell destruction and is a sign of illness and necrosis in the liver of affected animals. As a biomarker for HM environmental contamination, fish ALP and ATPase activities are utilized (Frat et al., 2011; Atli and Canli, 2007). The current investigation found that the concentration of HMs in tilapia and pangasius did not significantly alter the ALP and ATPase activities. Likewise, the findings of the present study, no changes were observed in ATPase activities in the fathead minnows, gills of bluegill sunfish, and golden shiners after being exposure to HMs (Watson and Benson, 1987). Based on the research conducted by Atli and Canli in 2007, metal content may be a factor affecting how active ATPase enzymes are.

Assessment of human health risk due to the consumption of HMs was only conducted for the fish muscle as this tissue is the only consumable part for the people of Bangladesh. HM in muscle tissue levels may potentially serve as a sign of metal pollution in aquaculture (El Bahgy, et al., 2021). The results of the current investigation demonstrated that the levels of As, Cr, and Pb and their harmful effects on human health are below the permissible limit and do not constitute a threat to the local population. The EDI of the investigated heavy metals were substantially lower than the suggested limit, which is consistent with the findings of Alam and Haque (2021). Furthermore, because the individual and combined values of THQs are lower than the recommended value of one, inhabitants of the study area are likewise protected from health hazards associated with HM intake through the diet of tilapia and pangasius. According to recommendations made by the US FDA and EU regulations (2004), the estimated cancer risk (R) of each HM for both adults and children was also lower than the risk of potential hazards (1 × 10^− 4 to 1 × 10^− 6). Previous research on pangasius and tilapia in Bangladesh also revealed similar results, whereas consuming farmed fish does not increase a person's risk of developing cancer (Alam and Haque, 2021; Ullah et al., 2017; Ahmed et al., 2015).

The concentrations, enzymatic activity, and human health risk of As, Cr, and Pb were evaluated for various organs of tilapia and pangasius. Significant differences between fish species and among organs were evident in the mean concentrations of HMs. The contamination level hasn't gone above national and international standards, though. Only Cr and Pb showed a significant correlation, indicating that their origins are comparable, whereas As may have various sources.

Results also showed that As may have come from industrial effluent and groundwater, while Cr and Pb were mostly linked to fish feeding. The concentration of HMs in the current study did not predict the activity of enzymes, and the estimated daily intake, target hazard quotient, target hazard index, and target cancer risk calculations demonstrate that consuming pangasius and tilapia from farms in the Chattogram district seemed to be safe for both adults and children.

Funding Statement: The research work was funded by University Grants Commission (UGC), Bangladesh.

Acknowledgements: The authors are thankful to Ms. Afifa Siddiqua and Ms. Zannatun Nur Popy for their assistance in the experiment. The authors are also grateful to Ecological Laboratory, Department of Fisheries Resource Management, Faculty of Fisheries, for providing laboratory research facilities.

Author’s Contribution: Conceptualization: SIA, MAM, MFBQ; Methodology: MAM, SIA, SR; Laboratory work: MAM, SR; Data Analysis: SIA, MMI, MAH, KA; Writing-Original Draft Preparation: MAM, MAH; Writing-Review and Editing: MAM, MAH, MMI, SR, KA, MFBQ, SAAN, SIA; Visualization: SIA, MMI, MAH; Supervision: SIA, SAAN

Competing interest: The authors declare no competing interest.

Ethics approval statement: The research methodology for this investigation, which covers HMs and enzymatic testing of tilapia and pangasius, was approved in accordance with the standard policies and procedures of the laboratory of applied chemistry and chemical technology at Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU), Bangladesh. Documented approval has been obtained from the ethical approved committee of applied chemistry and chemical technology prior to the start of the study.

Data availability statement: The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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No competing interests reported.

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Assessment of the concentration, enzymatic activity, and health risks of heavy metals in Tilapia and Pangasius raised for human consumption

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HI =\(\sum _{\text{i=k}}^{\text{n}}\text{THQs}\)

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Additional Declarations

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Version 1