TY - JOUR
T1 - Contamination, exposure, and health risk assessment of Hg in Pakistan
T2 - A review
AU - Rashid, Sajid
AU - Shah, Izaz Ali
AU - Supe Tulcan, Roberto Xavier
AU - Rashid, Wajid
AU - Sillanpaa, Mika
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2022/5/15
Y1 - 2022/5/15
N2 - Mercury is a highly toxic and highly mobile heavy metal. It has been regarded as more toxic than other nonessential and toxic nonradioactive heavy metals. Moreover, it has a high tendency of bioaccumulation and biomagnification in the ecosystem. This study aimed to assess the environmental and health risks related to Hg. Seventy studies related to Hg in environmental media, aquatic biota, and food stuffs across Pakistan were reviewed, and their concentrations were used for ecological and human health risk assessments. High concentrations of Hg were reported in the environment, with maximum concentrations of 72 mg L−1, 144 mg kg−1, 887 mg kg−1, and 49,807 ng m−3 in surface water, surface soil, surface sediments, and urban atmosphere, respectively. The possible non-carcinogenic health risk (hazard quotient) of Hg was assessed in soil, water, and fish. High risks were calculated for seafood and vegetable consumption, while low risks were estimated for soils and groundwater ingestion and exposure. Overall, children showed higher risks than adults. Last, the risk quotient analysis (RQ) revealed significant risks for aquatic species. RQs showed that multiple species, especially those with smaller resilience, could face long-term detrimental impacts. High, medium, and low risks were calculated from 66.66, 16.17, and 16.17% of the reported Hg concentrations.
AB - Mercury is a highly toxic and highly mobile heavy metal. It has been regarded as more toxic than other nonessential and toxic nonradioactive heavy metals. Moreover, it has a high tendency of bioaccumulation and biomagnification in the ecosystem. This study aimed to assess the environmental and health risks related to Hg. Seventy studies related to Hg in environmental media, aquatic biota, and food stuffs across Pakistan were reviewed, and their concentrations were used for ecological and human health risk assessments. High concentrations of Hg were reported in the environment, with maximum concentrations of 72 mg L−1, 144 mg kg−1, 887 mg kg−1, and 49,807 ng m−3 in surface water, surface soil, surface sediments, and urban atmosphere, respectively. The possible non-carcinogenic health risk (hazard quotient) of Hg was assessed in soil, water, and fish. High risks were calculated for seafood and vegetable consumption, while low risks were estimated for soils and groundwater ingestion and exposure. Overall, children showed higher risks than adults. Last, the risk quotient analysis (RQ) revealed significant risks for aquatic species. RQs showed that multiple species, especially those with smaller resilience, could face long-term detrimental impacts. High, medium, and low risks were calculated from 66.66, 16.17, and 16.17% of the reported Hg concentrations.
KW - Bioaccumulation
KW - Biomagnification
KW - Hazardous impacts
KW - Hg exposure
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85124943995&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118995
DO - 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118995
M3 - Review article
C2 - 35189298
AN - SCOPUS:85124943995
SN - 0269-7491
VL - 301
JO - Environmental Pollution
JF - Environmental Pollution
M1 - 118995
ER -