Toxic and essential trace element concentrations in the freshwater shrimp Macrobrachium amazonicum in the Lower Amazon, Brazil

• Published in: Journal of food composition and analysis Vol. 86; p. 103361
• Main Authors: Albuquerque, Fabio Edir Amaral, Minervino, Antonio Humberto Hamad, Miranda, Marta, Herrero-Latorre, Carlos, Barrêto Júnior, Raimundo Alves, Oliveira, Francisco Leonardo Costa, Dias, Salatiel Ribeiro, Ortolani, Enrico Lippi, López-Alonso, Marta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01-03-2020
• Subjects: Chemometric analysis; Heavy metal contamination; Mining activity; Seafood elemental composition; Seafood elemental composition; Mining activity; Chemometric analysis; Heavy metal contamination
• ISSN: 0889-1575; 1096-0481
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfca.2019.103361

•Metal in freshwater shrimps does not pose a significant risk for human consumption.•Amazon and Tapajos had different metal accumulation, related with mining activities.•Metal analysis could be used to distinguish the shrimp origin for commercial purposes.•Bioaccumulation of Fe, Co and Mn was mainly in shrimp viscera from Amazon river.
This study aimed to evaluate the concentrations of toxic elements (As, Cd, Hg, Pb) and essential trace elements (Co, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Se, Zn) in the freshwater shrimp M. amazonicum in the region of Santarem (lower Amazonia), which is affected by mining activities. The level of metal accumulation in the shrimp was found to be similar to that measured in other regions affected by anthropogenic polluted in both in Brazil and elsewhere, and does not pose a significant risk for human consumption. The different patterns of metal accumulation between the Amazon and Tapajos basins appear to be (at least partly) related to respectively bauxite exploitation and gold mining in the region. Bioaccumulation of the trace elements Co, Fe, and Mn mainly occurred in the visceral part of the shrimps from the Amazon river.