Human Health Risk Assessment and Histopathological Alterations in Puntius sophore of Damsal Nala, Sukinda Chromite Valley, Odisha, India

The aim of the present study was to assess the concentration of potentially toxic metals (PTMs) like As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe and Pb in the Damsal Nala of Sukinda Chromite Valley, Jajpur of Odisha (India) and its subsequent histopathological lesions in the fish Puntius sophore. Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) and Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (FAAS) methods were used to evaluate the concentrations of PTMs in the muscles of fish, Puntius sophore collected from different zones namely upstream discharge zone (UDZ) and upstream zone (UZ) of the Damsal Nala and control water bodies (CW). In the UDZ of Nala, the concentration of metals viz., Cd, Pb and Fe were 2 to 7 times, and Cr was 77 times higher than the maximum permissible limits recommended by WHO and FAO in the fish muscles. The values of Target Hazard Quotients (THQ) of all these 6 metals were <1 in CW and UZ, but in UDZ the THQ values of Cr and Fe were >1. Hazard Index (HI) for UDZ was 3.47, indicated the alarming concentration of metal which can pose serious risk to human health. Histopathological observations in liver and kidney of Puntius sophore collected from UDZ demonstrated the serious lesions, but mild damage in fish collected from UZ. These histological alterations and the health risk indices disclosed the effects of effluents of chromite mining and the impact on the ecological balance which may result into health hazards to the local human population who are maintaining their livelihood by consuming these fish as protein source.