Determination of Heavy Metals in Fish and Vegetables in Bangladesh and Health Implications

Concentrations of six heavy metals (chromium, nickel, copper, arsenic, cadmium, and lead) in fish and vegetables were estimated to evaluate contamination levels and health risks for Bangladeshi adults. The analyzed metals varied between different species of fish and vegetables. Metals like Ni, Cd, and Pb in fish species were higher than the respective maximum allowable concentrations (MAC), whereas As, Cd, and Pb in some species of vegetables exceeded the MAC. Health risks associated with these metal intakes were evaluated in terms of dietary intake and target hazard quotients (THQs). The THQ values for individual metals were below 1 (except As for some species), suggesting that people would not experience significant health hazards if they ingest a single metal from one…