Heavy metal accumulation in the edible crab Cardisoma armatum (Brachyura: Gecarcinidae) and implications for human health risks

The increasing heavy metal accumulation in edible fauna is harmful to human health. Among mangrove crabs, Cardisoma armatum is the most consumed despite their doubtful hygienic states. This study aims at assessing heavy metal accumulation in associated sediments and C. armatum crabs related to seaso...

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Main Authors: Vanessa Maxemilie Ngo-Massou, Ernest Flavien Kottè-Mapoko, Ndongo Din
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2022-07-01
Series:Scientific African
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468227622001557
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author Vanessa Maxemilie Ngo-Massou
Ernest Flavien Kottè-Mapoko
Ndongo Din
author_facet Vanessa Maxemilie Ngo-Massou
Ernest Flavien Kottè-Mapoko
Ndongo Din
author_sort Vanessa Maxemilie Ngo-Massou
collection DOAJ
description The increasing heavy metal accumulation in edible fauna is harmful to human health. Among mangrove crabs, Cardisoma armatum is the most consumed despite their doubtful hygienic states. This study aims at assessing heavy metal accumulation in associated sediments and C. armatum crabs related to season and site differences and their implications on human health. Mean concentrations of metals in sediments were ordered: Aluminium (Al=3191.84 mg/kg)> Zinc (Zn=139.90 mg/kg)> Copper (Cu=48.50 mg/kg)> Lead (Pb=36.17 mg/kg)> Iron (Fe=23.08 mg/kg)> Cadmium (Cd=0.35 mg/kg). Occurrence and levels of metals showed high differences between sites and enrichment in the sediments are mainly related to human activities. Copper was not found at Mpalla site and in both seasons. Dried sediments were higher in concentration than wet sediments for all metals because of the regular soil leaching which occurred in the wet periods. For crab tissues, mean concentrations of metals were ranked: Fe (127.43 mg/kg) > Zn (67.07 mg/kg) > Al (13.69 mg/kg) > Cu (3.09 mg/kg) > Cd (0.19 mg/kg) > Pb (0.11 mg/kg). Likewise, patterns of metal levels were highly different in both sites and all metals were prominent during the dry season resulting probably in biological cycle changes in C. armatum. Levels of essential metals (Cu, Zn and Fe) were found higher possibly to maintain biological functions. Concentrations of metals were largely exceeded threshold values (except for Cu and Pb) which imply unpleasant human health risks could occur. Bioconcentration factor (BCF) value of Fe (5.52) was largely above 1. It seems that Fe appears to be a good tool for monitoring Fe pollution in the area. The elevated metal pollution index (MPI=4.37) indicated high bioaccumulation affinities with all metals. This therefore implies that consuming C. armatum may pose non-negligible health implications to humans.
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spelling doaj.art-6e3457bb6394458eb4bcba7e6f069b632022-12-22T03:55:05ZengElsevierScientific African2468-22762022-07-0116e01248Heavy metal accumulation in the edible crab Cardisoma armatum (Brachyura: Gecarcinidae) and implications for human health risksVanessa Maxemilie Ngo-Massou0Ernest Flavien Kottè-Mapoko1Ndongo Din2Department of Biological Sciences, High Teacher's Training College, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box: 47 Yaoundé, Cameroon; Corresponding author: Tel + (237) 694 26 53 39.Department of Fisheries Management, Institute of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences at Yabassi, University of Douala, P.O. Box: 7236, Douala, CameroonDepartment of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, P.O. Box: 8948, Douala, CameroonThe increasing heavy metal accumulation in edible fauna is harmful to human health. Among mangrove crabs, Cardisoma armatum is the most consumed despite their doubtful hygienic states. This study aims at assessing heavy metal accumulation in associated sediments and C. armatum crabs related to season and site differences and their implications on human health. Mean concentrations of metals in sediments were ordered: Aluminium (Al=3191.84 mg/kg)> Zinc (Zn=139.90 mg/kg)> Copper (Cu=48.50 mg/kg)> Lead (Pb=36.17 mg/kg)> Iron (Fe=23.08 mg/kg)> Cadmium (Cd=0.35 mg/kg). Occurrence and levels of metals showed high differences between sites and enrichment in the sediments are mainly related to human activities. Copper was not found at Mpalla site and in both seasons. Dried sediments were higher in concentration than wet sediments for all metals because of the regular soil leaching which occurred in the wet periods. For crab tissues, mean concentrations of metals were ranked: Fe (127.43 mg/kg) > Zn (67.07 mg/kg) > Al (13.69 mg/kg) > Cu (3.09 mg/kg) > Cd (0.19 mg/kg) > Pb (0.11 mg/kg). Likewise, patterns of metal levels were highly different in both sites and all metals were prominent during the dry season resulting probably in biological cycle changes in C. armatum. Levels of essential metals (Cu, Zn and Fe) were found higher possibly to maintain biological functions. Concentrations of metals were largely exceeded threshold values (except for Cu and Pb) which imply unpleasant human health risks could occur. Bioconcentration factor (BCF) value of Fe (5.52) was largely above 1. It seems that Fe appears to be a good tool for monitoring Fe pollution in the area. The elevated metal pollution index (MPI=4.37) indicated high bioaccumulation affinities with all metals. This therefore implies that consuming C. armatum may pose non-negligible health implications to humans.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468227622001557Bioconcentration factorHeavy metalsHuman health riskMetal pollution indexThreshold values
spellingShingle Vanessa Maxemilie Ngo-Massou
Ernest Flavien Kottè-Mapoko
Ndongo Din
Heavy metal accumulation in the edible crab Cardisoma armatum (Brachyura: Gecarcinidae) and implications for human health risks
Scientific African
Bioconcentration factor
Heavy metals
Human health risk
Metal pollution index
Threshold values
title Heavy metal accumulation in the edible crab Cardisoma armatum (Brachyura: Gecarcinidae) and implications for human health risks
title_full Heavy metal accumulation in the edible crab Cardisoma armatum (Brachyura: Gecarcinidae) and implications for human health risks
title_fullStr Heavy metal accumulation in the edible crab Cardisoma armatum (Brachyura: Gecarcinidae) and implications for human health risks
title_full_unstemmed Heavy metal accumulation in the edible crab Cardisoma armatum (Brachyura: Gecarcinidae) and implications for human health risks
title_short Heavy metal accumulation in the edible crab Cardisoma armatum (Brachyura: Gecarcinidae) and implications for human health risks
title_sort heavy metal accumulation in the edible crab cardisoma armatum brachyura gecarcinidae and implications for human health risks
topic Bioconcentration factor
Heavy metals
Human health risk
Metal pollution index
Threshold values
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468227622001557
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