Potential Health Risks from Heavy Metal in Green Mussels (Perna Viridis) From the Southeastern Part of the Bay of Bengal.

The Southeastern part of the Bay of Bengal is increasingly threatened by heavy metal pollution, posing significant risks to both aquatic life and human health. In this context, the contamination levels of six heavy metals-Cadmium (Cd), Lead (Pb), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), and Iron (Fe)-were assessed in the soft tissues of Green mussels (Perna viridis) from five key sites: Matamuhuri, Moheshkhali, Bakhkhali, Naf, and St. Martin. The aim was to assess the public health risks associated with the consumption of these mussels. The metal concentrations detected across the sites were as follows: Cd ranged from 0.65 to 2.99 μg/g, Pb from 1.20 to 4.00 μg/g, Zn from 20.16 to 117.17 μg/g, Cu from 3.52 to 23.21 μg/g, Mn from 10.34 to 63.36 μg/g, and Fe from 104 to 1102 μg/g. The assessments conducted include the Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Target Hazard Quotient (THQ), Hazard Index (HI), and Carcinogenic Risk (CR) for evaluating both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health impacts. Consumers were classified as Average-Level Mussel consumers (ALM) and High-Level Mussel consumers (HLM) based on consumption rates to estimate the health risks for different exposure levels. The results showed that Bakhkhali exhibited the highest concentrations of Cd and Pb, surpassing the safety limits, with a CR value (6.76E-04, 2.02E-05) indicating a heightened cancer risk for HLM. St. Martin, on the other hand, was identified as the safest site, with metal concentrations within permissible limits.