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This study investigated the total concentrations and bioaccessibility of heavy metals in edible tissues and trophic levels of 12 marine organism species in the South China Sea. The results were used to estimate health risks to humans. Of the heavy metals detected, nickel (Ni) was present at the highest concentrations, followed in descending, order by iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb). Cd had the highest percentage bioaccessibility (61.91%). There were no correlations between log-transformed total metal concentrations and trophic level values, nor between log-transformed bioaccessibility metal concentrations and trophic level values. This indicates there is no biomagnification among these trace metals. The carcinogenic risk probabilities for Pb and Cr to urban and rural residents were below the acceptable level (< 1 × 10 -4 ). The target hazard quotient (THQ) value for each metal and the total THQ values for all metals studied indicated no significant risk of non-carcinogenic effects to urban and rural residents from consuming marine organisms from the South China Sea., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Hg and As) in surface sediments and bivalve mollusks in Kaozhouyang Bay were investigated. A biological risk analysis of the sediments indicated that ten sites (about 76.92% of the total number of sites) had a 21% incidence probability of toxicity. A health risk analysis of the bivalve mollusks indicated that Cu and As posed low risks to consumer health. On the basis of the target hazard quotient (THQ), adverse effects may occur based on total THQ (TTHQ). The highest TTHQ was found in the species, Ostrea rivularis, which had the highest capacity for the bioaccumulation (factor > 38) of Cd., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

We investigated the total concentrations of heavy metals in surface sediments and nekton, along with sediment metal chemical partitioning in Qinzhou Bay of the Beibu Gulf. Cd was preferentially associated with the acid-soluble fraction and Pb mainly with the reducible fraction, whereas a major portion of Cr, Ni, Cu, and Zn was strongly associated with the residual fractions. A principal component analysis (PCA) in sediment metal speciation revealed three groupings (Cd; Pb; Cr, Ni, Cu, and Zn) that mainly resulted from different distributions of the metals in the various fractions. The Cr concentrations in nekton species were higher than maximum Cr concentrations permitted by the Chinese National Standard (GB 2762-2012). Taking as a whole, surface sediments of Qinzhou Bay had a 21% incidence calculation of adverse biological effects, based on the mean probable-effects-levels quotient. A human health risk assessment indicated no significant adverse health effects from consumption of nekton., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)