Contamination status and dietary exposure risk assessment of arsenic， cadmium， lead and mercury in commercially available aquatic products in Shanghai
10.19428/j.cnki.sjpm.2026.250438
- VernacularTitle:上海市售水产品中砷、镉、铅、汞的污染状况及膳食暴露风险评估
- Author:
Rong SHI
1
;
Dandan MAO
1
;
Limei CHEN
2
;
Yan ZHANG
1
;
Huimin ZHANG
3
;
Yu GAO
1
;
Ying TIAN
1
Author Information
1. School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200025, China
2. Department of Environmental Health, Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214023, China
3. Division of Chemical Toxicity and Safety Assessment, Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 201107, China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
aquatic product;
heavy metal;
dietary exposure;
non-carcinogenic risk;
child
- From:
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine
2026;38(8):598-603
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
ObjectiveTo investigate the contamination status of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg) in commercially available aquatic products in Shanghai and their distribution characteristics among different categories of aquatic products, and to assess the dietary exposure levels and non‑carcinogenic health risks of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg through aquatic product consumption among different age groups, so as to provide a scientific basis for food safety surveillance of aquatic products and dietary risk management for residents in Shanghai. MethodsFrom October to November 2021, a total of 90 aquatic product samples, including marine fish, freshwater fish, freshwater shrimp, marine crab, freshwater crab, and mollusks, were randomly collected from 16 districts of Shanghai. Sample pretreatment was performed according to GB 5009.268‒2016 (National Food Safety Standard—Determination of Multi‑elements in Foods). The concentrations of As, Cd, and Pb in aquatic products were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‑MS), and Hg was determined by direct mercury analyzer. Inorganic arsenic (iAs) was estimated as 3.5% of total As according to the method recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The contamination levels of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg in aquatic products were evaluated according to GB 2762‒2017 (National Food Safety Standard—Maximum Levels of Contaminants in Foods). A combined approach of point assessment and probabilistic assessment was applied to estimate the estimated daily intake (EDI) and non‑carcinogenic risk indicators—hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI)—for different age groups. ResultsThe detection rates of As and Hg were both 100.00% in all samples, while those of Cd and Pb were 74.44% and 25.56%, respectively. The arithmetic means (wet weight) of the four elements and estimated iAs were: As (1.432 9±3.736 5) mg·kg-1, iAs (0.050 2±0.130 8) mg·kg-1, Cd (0.082 5±0.197 8) mg·kg-1, Pb (0.006 1±0.005 5) mg·kg-1, and Hg (0.021 9±0.016 7) mg·kg-1. According to the relevant maximum residue limits, 2 out of 7 mollusk samples (28.57%) and 3 out of 20 marine fish samples (15.00%) exceeded the limit for iAs, and 2 out of 8 marine crab samples (25.00%) exceeded the limit for Cd. The estimated daily intake (EDI, μg·kg-1·d-1, by body weight) of iAs, Cd, Pb, and Hg via aquatic product consumption varied among different age groups, with the highest levels observed in children aged 3‒4 years, decreasing gradually with age to the lowest level at 12 ‒ <15 years, with a slight rebound thereafter. The point assessment results showed that the HQs of iAs, Cd, Pb, and Hg ranged from 0 to 0.25, and the cumulative HI ranged from 0.27 to 0.48, all below 1, indicating a relatively low overall risk. The probabilistic assessment results revealed that under the high‑exposure scenario (P97.5), the HQs of iAs (1.101‒1.281) and Cd (1.175‒1.366) exceeded 1 in children aged 3‒9 years, suggesting potential health risks, while the HQs of Pb and Hg were all below 1, indicating relatively lower risks. ConclusionHg and As are ubiquitously detected in commercially available aquatic products in Shanghai, while the detection rates of Cd and Pb are relatively low. The overall non-carcinogenic risk is at an acceptable level, but children aged 3‒9 years may have potential health risks from iAs and Cd under high-percentile exposure levels. It is recommended to strengthen the monitoring of toxic elements in key aquatic products such as marine fish, mollusks, and marine crabs, and to implement targeted dietary risk management measures for sensitive populations, including children.
