Heavy Metals Accumulation in Marine Fish Muscles from the Suez Gulf, Egypt: Ecological and Health Consequences

The rise in pollution caused by heavy metals in marine ecosystems is largely attributable to human-induced processes, including mining, industrialization, urbanization, and agriculture. The present investigation assessed the levels of 13 metals, including lead (Pb), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), boron (B), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), aluminium (Al), barium (Ba), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), and zinc (Zn), in sediment, seawater, and the muscular tissues of 5 marine species collected from the Suez Gulf in Egypt. The assessed species' Cu, Mn, and Zn levels were found to be below the maximum allowable limits. The pollution levels in these marine fish, based on the trace metal levels (TML), were ≤ 1, indicating minimal contamination. However, higher contamination degrees were observed for Ni, As, and Cr. From a human health perspective, arsenic poses a significant cancer risk to consumers (children and adults) of the studied fish, with carcinogenic risk values for arsenic and nickel exceeding the acceptable limit of 10−4. Based on the data indices and assessment of human health, this should be considered a critical warning. The findings of this study serve as an early alert for consumers, especially those with high consumption rates of certain marine species.