Avaliação da contaminação e segurança alimentar dos pescadores na costa do Ceará (Nordeste, Brasil) por hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos após o evento de derramamento de óleo na costa brasileira (2019-2020)

Abstract

In recent decades, around 5.8 million tons of oil have been spilled into the oceans due to various causes. In August 2019, the most extensive oil spill ever recorded in Brazil occurred. Disasters like this can severely impact fish production, especially in terms of health safety. Therefore, this study aims to assess PAH contamination in fish, molluscs (sururu and oyster) and crustaceans (crab) from the coast of Ceará (Northeast, Brazil), in addition to analyzing the food risk associated with them. The samples were acquired from artisanal fishermen from RESEX Prainha do Canto Verde, Icapuí, Cumbuco and Jaguaribe in September 2021. The methodology was preceded by biometrics, muscle removal and sample processing. Parental and alkylated PAHs were analyzed using the QUECHERS method and GC-MS was used for identification and quantification. To assess the food safety of the seafood, the levels of concern published by ANVISA during the period of the spill were used. The statistical analyses carried out showed that the data for fish did not show a normal distribution and the concentrations of total PAHs at the study sites did not show significant differences. As for molluscs and crustaceans, the statistical analyses showed a normal distribution and a significant difference between the two groups. Thus, the contamination followed the order: molluscs (29.94 ± 5.00 ng/g; mean ± SD); crustaceans (12.58 ± 5.85 ng/g); and fish (2.89 ± 4.12 ng/g). For fish, there was a predominance of Low Molecular Weight PAHs, mainly Naphthalene and the highest average was seen in the Jaguaribe (6.20 ng/g). As for molluscs and crustaceans, the highest contamination was found in molluscs, with an average of 29.94 ng/g compared to crustaceans, which had an average of 12.58 ng/g in relation to the total concentration of PAHs. As far as food safety is concerned, all taxonomic groups had values below those established by ANVISA (fish: 6 μg/kg BaPeq and molluscs and crustaceans 18 μg/kg BaP eq), these being: for fish, TEQ = 0.509; crab, TEQ = 0.873; oyster, TEQ = 8.46; and sururu, TEQ = 9.75. In relation to non-carcinogenic PAHs, all the samples also showed values well below, thus demonstrating that the fish from these regions are suitable for consumption.