An updated ecotoxicological evaluation and health risk assessment of metal contaminants in Perna viridis mussel harvested on March to August 2018 from Pasir Gudang Coastal Area, Malaysia

Perna viridis (P. viridis) is a significant protein source globally but is often contaminated by metals due to its filter-feeding behavior. Given that Kampung Pasir Puteh, Pasir Gudang (Johor) is Malaysia's primary P. viridis harvesting site and the last health risk assessment (2015) was incomplete, the metal contamination status remains uncertain. Graphite furnace-atomic absorption spectroscopy was employed to analyze metal contaminant concentrations in P. viridis samples collected from March to August 2018, as per Malaysian legal requirements. The R2 values varied between 0.9976 and 0.9980 for P. viridis mussels and between 0.9976 and 0.9999 for seawater. The recovery for P. viridis mussels and seawater ranged from 93.95% to 106.80% and 92.73–108.84%, respectively. Precision and accuracy for both intra and inter-day measurements ranged from 0.15% to 5.49% for P. viridis and 0.05–5.58% for seawater. The concentrations of metal contaminants in P. viridis varied significantly among the different months of sampling (p < 0.05). All P. viridis samples had higher concentration of arsenic (3.16–75.80 μg g−1) than that prescribed by the Malaysian law. Higher cadmium concentration was observed during July (2.12 μg g−1) and August (2.05 μg g−1) alone. With target hazard quotients and hazard indices > 1.0, the likelihood of negative health impacts from consuming these mussels cannot be ignored. TCR values for As and Cd exceeded USEPA standards, indicating a potential lifetime carcinogenic risk from continuous P. viridis consumption. Pb (21.20–49.28 µg L−1) in all surface seawater samples was invariably higher than the allowable limit for Class 2 water areas. Metal contaminant concentrations varied significantly between P. viridis and surface seawater (p < 0.05), implying inconsistent bioaccumulation due to pollution differences. Given the significance of P. viridis mussels, concerted scientific efforts are essential to devise effective metal contaminant removal methods. [Display omitted] •Level of As, Cd, Pb and total Hg in P. viridis mussel and seawater were determined.•Metal levels varied in 6-month sampling; mussel consumption possess health risk (HI > 1).•Probable health risk associated with consuming P. viridis from Kampung Pasir Putih, Malaysia.