Levels, Distribution Patterns and Health Risk Assessment of Rare Earth Elements in Marine Organisms in Xiamen Bay

Abstract

In order to study the enrichment, distribution pattern and health effects of marine organisms on rare earth elements (REEs), fish, crustaceans and shellfish were collected from Xiamen Bay. The concentrations of REEs in 14 organisms were determined by ICP-MS, and the distribution pattern and the health risks of REEs were analyzed. The results showed that the total rare earth elements (TREEs) in fish, crustaceans and shellfish ranged from 0.149~0.204, 0.347~0.555 and 3.437~18.635 mg/kg, respectively. The average concentration of TREEs in the three biological organisms was in the order of shellfish > crustaceans > fish. The REEs distribution patterns of fish and shellfish showed positive Eu anomaly and negative Ce anomaly, while shellfish showed negative Eu anomaly and positive Ce anomaly. According to the assessment results of estimated daily intake (EDI), the EDI value of TREEs in fish, crustaceans and shellfish in the study area was far lower than the acceptable daily intake threshold 70 μg/(kg·d). The results of this study can provide basic data for the study of REEs content, migration and enrichment in estuaries and bays.

Keywords

• rare earth elements
• xiamen bay
• bioaccumulation
• health risk