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Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals Due to Consumption of Pike-Perch (Sander lucioperca) Infected with Cestoda Parasites in Northwest Iran (Case Study: Sattarkhan Dam)
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Saba Khairkhah   , Amir Dehghani * |
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Abstract: (333 Views) |
Introduction: In Iran and other parts of the world, few studies have investigated the accumulation of heavy metals in the human food chain and the interrelationship between parasites and their hosts. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of parasitic relationships and food chains on the health risk associated with the accumulation of lead, cadmium, and copper due to the consumption of pike-perch (Sander lucioperca) in the Sattarkhan Dam (Ahar County, East Azerbaijan Province).
Materials & Methods: Field sampling was conducted from April 2022 to December 2024. A total of 77 samples, including 28 adult pike-perch, 25 intestinal tapeworm samples, and 24 gammarids (Amphipoda), were collected from different areas of the dam using gill nets. Parasites were identified to the genus level using valid identification keys. After tissue digestion, the concentration of heavy metals was measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Health risk assessment was performed by calculating the EDI, THQ, CR, and %TDI indices.
Results: The mean total length, total weight, and age of infected fish were 52 cm, 550 g, and 3.9 years, respectively. The tapeworms isolated from the intestines of infected fish belonged to two genera of the order Cestoda: Proteocephalus and Caryophyllaeus. The results showed that, except for copper, the concentration of other metals in the muscle tissue of uninfected fish was significantly higher than in fish infected with parasites. The concentrations of lead and cadmium in uninfected fish (0.31 and 0.47 µg/g dry weight, respectively) were higher than in infected fish (0.20 and 0.30 µg/g). Metal concentrations in the tapeworms were significantly higher than in their hosts and in gammarids. The EDI, THQ, and CR indices for metals in infected fish were 36-45% lower than in uninfected fish.
Conclusion: Consumption of pike-perch from this area poses an acceptable non-carcinogenic risk (Total THQ<1), but the carcinogenic risk, especially for cadmium, exceeds the permissible threshold (1×10⁻⁶). The presence of intestinal tapeworms reduces this risk by approximately 36-45%. These findings highlight the importance of considering host-parasite relationships in health risk assessments and the monitoring of aquatic ecosystem pollution. |
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| Keywords: Bioaccumulation, Freshwater, Food Chain, Intestinal Parasites, Carcinogenicity |
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Full-Text [PDF 773 kb]
(97 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2026/06/5 | Accepted: 2026/05/31 | Published: 2026/09/7
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