Assessing health risks from metal contamination in Engraulis encrasicolus (Linnaeus, 1758) along the Black Sea

This study presents a comprehensive assessment of heavy metal concentrations in anchovy samples collected from the coasts of Samsun and Sinop, Black Sea, with a focus on evaluating potential health risks for three distinct age groups. The mean metals were 0.0039, 0.0131, 0.0189, 0.1271, 3.53, and 2.471 mg/ kg wet wt. for Cd, Hg, Pb, Cu, Zn and Fe, respectively. The Estimated Daily Index for infants, children, and adults indicated that the potential exposure to heavy metals through anchovy consumption remained well below established safety thresholds, thus confirming the safety of anchovy consumption for all age groups. Furthermore, the health risk analysis, using the Hazard Quotients, showed that the noncarcinogenic health risks associated with heavy metal exposure in the anchovy samples were negligible, with total hazard quotients consistently below 1. This suggests no potential chronic health risks for consumers. Consumption of anchovy does not pose a carcinogenic risk regarding the Carcinogenic Risk Index calculated between 8.39 x10 -8 and 2.33 x10 - 7 for Pb.