Bioaccumulation and exposure to potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in marine species commercialized for human consumption in the Southern Region of Rio de Janeiro (SE, Brazil)

Abstract

Sepetiba Bay (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) is a semi-enclosed coastal system subject to significant anthropogenic pressures resulting from historical industrial activities, port operations, and urban runoff. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence, organ-specific accumulation, and potential dietary exposure to potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in commercially important seafood species from Sepetiba Bay. The quantification of 36 chemical elements was performed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) Different organs were analyzed from three individuals of each of the ten species, comprising six teleost species: croaker ( Plagioscion squamosissimus ), acoupa weakfish ( Cynoscion acoupa ), smooth weakfish ( Cynoscion leiarchus ), common snook ( Centropomus undecimalis ), horse-eye jack ( Caranx hippos ), and lebranche mullet ( Mugil liza ); three shrimp species: pink shrimp ( Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis ), seven-bearded shrimp ( Xiphopenaeus kroyeri ), and brown shrimp ( Penaeus subtilis ); and one stingray species ( Dasyatis hypostigma ). Concordant Spearman and Kendall correlation analyses identified recurrent covariation among As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, Se, and Zn. Maximum concentrations followed organ-specific accumulation patterns: liver > gills > gonads > muscle in fish, and cephalothorax > exoskeleton > muscle in shrimp. On a wet weight basis, the mean total As concentrations in muscle exceeded the regulatory reference value in D. hypostigma > F. brasiliensis > P. squamosissimus > X. kroyeri while C. acoupa reached the reference value. Total As concentrations above the applicable regulatory limit highlight species–element combinations of dietary relevance and support continued monitoring. Overall, the findings provide a broad multi-element characterization of seafood marketed in the Sepetiba Bay region and reveal marked species- and organ-specific accumulation patterns.