Environmental and Public Health Impacts of Heavy Metal Contamination in Coastal and Freshwater Edible Species

Heavy metal contamination in aquatic environments has become a critical global concern, posing significant risks to both ecosystem and human health. This study examines the environmental and public health impacts of heavy metal pollution in coastal and freshwater edible species. It explores the major sources of contamination including industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, mining activities, and atmospheric deposition and how these pollutants bioaccumulate through aquatic food webs. The research highlights key metals of concern such as mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and chromium (Cr), which are frequently detected at concentrations exceeding international safety limits. Their persistence and toxicity contribute to biodiversity loss, ecosystem imbalance, and adverse human health outcomes including neurotoxicity, renal dysfunction, and carcinogenic effects. It also reviews existing regulatory frameworks and emphasizes the need for more stringent control measures, improved waste management, and public awareness campaigns. Overall, this paper explains the urgent necessity of integrating environmental management and food safety policies to safeguard both aquatic life and human populations dependent on these resources for nutrition and livelihood.

• Publication year

  2025

• Venue

  International Journal for Sciences and Technology

• Publication date

  2025-10-31

• Fields of study

  Not labeled

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.71097/ijsat.v16.i4.9087
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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