The cadmium content in commercially key species of seafood from Shandong, China: Potential human health risk estimation

Abstract

Seafood serves as a vital protein source for human nutrition, yet it also significantly contributes to the intake of dietary cadmium. In this study, we measured the cadmium content in 274 samples from 20 species, including fish, shrimp, and bivalves collected across five cities in Shandong province and assessed the associated health risks for local residents with varying consumption habits. The findings revealed a distinct increasing trend in cadmium concentrations from pelagic fish to benthic bivalve species; however, no evidence of biomagnification was observed among the studied species. Health risk assessments indicated that while there were no non-carcinogenic health risks posed by seafood consumption for local residents exposed to cadmium, carcinogen risks exceeded acceptable levels for lifetime cancer risk. Furthermore, children exhibited approximately twice as high risk indices compared to adults. Bivalve consumption emerged as the primary contributor to these health risks.