An assessment of the potential health hazards associated with metal contamination in a variety of consumable species living along the industrialized coastline of East Java, Indonesia.

The massive industrial growth in Gresik, East Java, Indonesia has the potential to result in metal contamination in the nearby coastal waters. The purpose of this study was to analyze the metal concentrations in edible species from the Gresik coastal waters and evaluate the potential health risks linked to this metal contamination. Metal concentrations (Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn, As, Cd, Ni, Hg, and Cr) in fish and shrimp samples mostly met the maximum limits established by national and international regulatory organizations. The concentrations of As in Scatophagus argus exceed both the permissible limit established by Indonesia and the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). The As concentration in Arius bilineatus is equal to the PTWI. The target cancer risk (TCR) values for both As and Cr in all analyzed species exceed the threshold of 0.0001, suggesting that these two metals possess the potential to provide a cancer risk to humans.

Sublethal Effects of Cadmium on the Osmoregulatory and Acid-Base Parameters of Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) at Various Times.

Background: Cadmium (Cd) can contaminate aquatic environments as a result of anthropogenic activity. Cd accumulates quickly in the tissues of fish and has the potential to affect their physiology, including osmoregulation and acid-base balance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the sublethal effects of Cd on the osmoregulation and acid-base balance of tilapia Oreochromis niloticus at different times. Methods: Fish were exposed to sublethal concentrations of Cd (1 and 2 mg/L) for 4 and 15 days. At the end of the experiment, fish were collected from each treatment to examine the levels of Cd and carbonic anhydrase (CA) in the gills, plasma osmolality, ions, blood pH, pCO2, pO2, and hematological parameters. Results: Cd concentrations in gills rose with increasing Cd concentrations in the medium and exposure time. Cd inhibited respiration by generating metabolic acidosis, decreasing gill CA, reducing pO2, plasma osmolality, Cl-, and K+, particularly at 2 mg/L for 4 days and 1 and 2 mg/L for 15 days. Red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), and hematocrit (Ht) levels decreased as Cd levels in water and exposure duration increased. Conclusion: Cd inhibits respiration, lowers RCB, Hb, and Ht levels and decreases ionic and osmotic regulation. All of these impairments can limit a fish's ability to provide appropriate oxygen to its cells, hence diminishing its physical activity and productivity.