Assessment of exposure risk to lead and cadmium via fish consumption in the lacusrian village of Ganvié in Benin republic

The assessment of exposure risk related to lead and cadmium via fish consumption was conducted consecutively to the extent of the high level of pollution of the aquatic system of lacustrian village of Ganvie by recent studies. The evaluation was performed in adults and children by computing daily dose of exposure (DDE) by crossing the average levels of contamination of fish with lead and cadmium with the levels of food consumption. Therefore, thirty six (36) samples of three fish species were collected from Lake Nokoue in the surroundings of lacustrial village of Ganvie and assayed for lead and cadmium by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The average concentration of cadmium and lead was higher than the allowed limits: 26.80 ± 0.57 ppm (against 0.4 ppm) for Pb and 1.79 ± 0.29 ppm (against 0.05 ppm) for Cd. The values of DDE obtained without systemic exposure were 111.22 and 7.42 mg / kg / day for Pb and Cd in child, respectively, against 2.28 and 34.22 mg / kg / day in adults compared to the limits permitted by WHO which are 3.6 mg / kg / day and 1 μg/kg/day, respectively. These high concentrations of Cd and Pb which imply potential risks especially for children much more exposed than adults appeal to environmental consciousness.