Health risk assessment of essential and potentially toxic elements concentrations in animal protein source foods in Bangladesh

Concentrations of essential and potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in lean animal protein source foods in Bangladesh were measured primarily to assess the sources and risks of PTEs and whether their intakes from foods comply with the permissible levels for PTEs. The mean ranges of Cr, As, Cd, Pb, Ni, Cu, Mn, and Zn in the investigated foods were 0.018-0.984, 0.005-2.05, 0.008-0.307, 0.005-0.793, 2.86-33.1, 5.56-43.0, 4.17-62.8, and 8.95-54.6 mg/kg, respectively. As a whole, the average levels of PTEs in foods followed in the descending order of fish > egg > white meat > yogurt > milk > red meat. The daily intakes of PTEs (except As for children) were lower than the maximum permissible concentration (MPC) for foods, indicating the studied PTEs may not pose instant health risks to the consumers. The estimated total THQs of analyzed PTEs were > 1 for children through consumption of these lean animal protein source foods, suggesting that children would experience significant non-carcinogenic risk. Target risk of cancer (TR) for Cr and As in fish, white meat, and milk were particularly hazardous and created cancer risk.