Assessment of heavy metals from pangasius and tilapia aquaculture in Bangladesh and human consumption risk

Heavy metal levels in pangasius, tilapia, water, and sediments were studied in four commercial aquaculture regions of Bangladesh, and the related human consumption risk was estimated. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) was used to assess the concentration of heavy metals. Bioconcentration factor (BCF) and biota-sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) were used to assess biota’s metal accumulation ability, while the metal pollution index (MPI) was calculated to compare a total of five metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, chromium, and cupper) pollution rates. Cr and Cu were detected in pangasius from all sampling regions. Heavy metal levels in tissues revealed a tissue-specific bioaccumulation pattern. Except for Cu, the highest metal load was found in the kidneys, with significant differences to other tissues in…