Assessing the risks on human health associated with inorganic arsenic intake from groundwater-cultured milkfish in southwestern Taiwan

The risk of consuming groundwater-cultured milkfish (Chanos chanos) was assessed. Samples of water and milkfish from groundwater-cultured ponds in southwestern Taiwan were analyzed. One third of the 12 sampled ponds had arsenic concentrations in the water higher than 50 μg/L, which is the maximum allowed concentration for arsenic in aquacultural water in Taiwan. Of the total amount of arsenic in water, the percentage of inorganic arsenic was 67.5 ± 8.8%. The inorganic arsenic level in milkfish was 44.1 ± 10.2%. The bioconcentration factors (BCFs) of milkfish for total arsenic and inorganic arsenic were 11.55 ± 4.42 and 6.8 ± 2.64, respectively. The target cancer risk (TR) for intake of the milkfish from those ponds was higher than the safe standard 1 × 10−6, while in 8 of the ponds the TR values were higher than 1 × 10−4. Among the 12 ponds, 7 of those had the target hazard quotient (THQ) for intake of the milkfish higher than the safe standard 1. The actual consumption (IRF) of milkfish from most of those ponds were higher than the calculated acceptable consumption (RBIRF), based on TR = 1 × 10−6–1 × 10−4. Only three sampled ponds (Putai 2, Peimen 2 and Peimen 3) did not show differences between the IRF and the RBIRF. Based on the standard TR = 1 × 10−6, both the risk-based concentration for inorganic arsenic in milkfish (RBCf) and the risk-based concentration for inorganic arsenic in pond water (RBCw) were lower than the levels of inorganic arsenic in reared milkfish (Cb) and the concentration of inorganic arsenic in pond water (Cw), respectively. When the calculation was based on TR = 1 × 10−4, only one sampled pond (Putai 3) had a RBCf value higher than Cb. The inhabitants might be exposed to arsenic pollution with carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks.