Mercury, lead and cadmium content in tuna and its effect on public health in Peru: Systematic review

Herrera-Cruz J.P.; Marín-Machuca O.; Cornejo-Urbina R.M.; Vargas-Ayala J.B.; Castro-Rojas M.C.; Fuertes-Vicente H.G. · Salud, Ciencia y Tecnologia (2023) · DOI: 10.56294/saludcyt2023502

Resumen

Introduction: in Peru, publications indicate that the content of mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) in tuna exceeds the allowable maximum limits, leading to progressive health damage. Thus, communicating this threat is necessary. Objective: to ascertain the presence of Hg, Pb, and Cd in tuna intended for direct human consumption and its implications for public health in Peru. Methods: a systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 Statement. Information was retrieved from databases including Scopus, Latindex, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. Twelve articles were selected for analysis, following inclusion and exclusion processes. Results: there is a prevalence (41,66 %) of studies focusing on Hg concentration, while Pb and Cd were equally represented (16,67 % each). Regarding Peru, the presence of metals was reported in 29 % of the studies, indicating a higher tendency towards Hg consumption compared to Pb and Cd. However, the ingestion of any of these metals poses a significant risk to public health consumers. Conclusions: Tuna, a species that incorporates heavy metals into its edible muscular tissue, is predominantly monitored for mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) due to their toxicity and bioaccumulation characteristics, making them particularly hazardous to public health, especially in Peru. Thus, continuous monitoring is recommended.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal; Universidad Nacional del Callao