Organochlorine pesticide residues in warrior swimming crab (Callinectes bellicosus) and assessment of health risk

Abstract

Organochlorine pesticides have been banned in Mexico since 1991, but they are still present in ecosystems, representing a health risk. The Navachiste Lagoon Complex is a RAMSAR site and a fishing area for various edible species. The objective of this study was to determine the cancer health risks posed by the consumption of crab Callinectes bellicosus from the Navachiste Complex, collected from April 2014 to January 2015; and to compare analyte ratios of selected against their metabolites to determine if recent sources of pesticides being bioaccumulated of this species. The highest average organochlorine concentrations were detected for γ -HCH, α-HCH, and δ-HCH with 1.9 × 10−5, 1.7 × 10−5, and 1.3 × 10−5 mg kg−1, respectively. Significant seasonal variations were found in aldrin and heptachlor (autumn), α-HCH and dieldrin (spring), and heptachlor epoxide (spring and summer) (p < 0.05). The highest organochlorine average exposure risk for consumption in the 95 percentile range was for endosulfan II (0.007 mg kg−1 d−1). According to our findings, the consumption at 0.204 g d−1 of edible tissue of crab from the Navachiste Lagoon Complex does not pose cancer health risk.