Primary Study On Exposure Assessment And Risk Management Of Formaldehyde In Aquatic Products

Formaldehyde is a highly toxic substance, which had been formally identified as A1 class of human carcinogens by International Cancer Reasearch Agency(ICRA). In view of the general phenomenon that formaldehyde naturally existed in aquatic products, the background concentration of formaldehyde in aquactic products nationwide was investigated in a systematic and targeted monitoring survey. On this basis, a primary study on quantitative risk assessment of dietary formaldehyde in aquatic products based on Monte Carlo simulation technique was carried out by application of @Risk software according to the food safety risk analysis theory and technique of Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). This study was aimed to evaluate the risk level of formaldehyde by means of aquatic products'dietary comsumption and propose a reasonable limit standard for formaldehyde in fresh aquatic products.A series of practical influence factors were considered, such as the output of aquatic products, the daily consumption habits of the residents and the market consumption. The concentration of formaldehyde in 1696 aquatic product samples, which including 349 samples of 23 species of freshwater fishes, 532 samples of 89 species of marine fishes, 175 samples of 19 species of crustaceans, 163 samples of 18 species of shellfishs, 63 samples of 7 species of cephalopods and 414 samples of dried fishery products, were determined by acetylacetone spectrophotometric method. The results showed that most aquatic product samples have low formaldehyde contentration. In the pertinent survey of 49 species, bombay duck (Hacpodon neheceus), cod (Cadous macrocephalus, Theragra chalcogramma and Miciomesistius poutassou), squid (Loligo chinensis), squill (Oratosquilla) and swimming crab (Portunus trituberculatus and Portunus pelagicus) had higher levels of background formaldehyde. While formaldehyde content in tilapia seemed to be significantly higher than other freshwater fish species (p<0.05). Significant differences on types indicated that the formaldehyde concentrations were highest in dried fishery products, followed by samples of marine fish, cephalopod, crustacean and shellfish, however, samples of freshwater fish were in the lowest formaldehyde content (p<0.05).The quantitative exposure assessment of formaldehyde by means of aquatic products'dietary consumption was conducted with application of Monte Carlo simulation techniques. The results revealed that the average daily intake of formaldehyde of general population via fresh aquatic products'consumption in China was 8.58E-3 mg/(kg·d), and the median, 95 percentile and 97.5 percentile was 3.08E-3 mg/(kg·d), 3.52E-2 mg/(kg·d) and 4.70E-2 mg/(kg·d) respectively. But the urban population faced a higher health risk level of formaldehyde exposure than rural population by means of fresh aquatic products'consumption. Different age groups had great differences in dietary expoure of formaldehyde by fresh aquatic products'intake. The exposure level of 2～13 age groups was higher than the adults'. Exposure risk faced by girls under the age of 7 was higher than the boys at the same age, and the exposure level reversed for the subpopulation at the age above 7. The average daily intake of formaldehyde of general population by eating dried fishery products in China was 1.62E-3 mg/(kg·d), and the median, 95 percentile and 97.5 percentile was 1.08E-3mg/(kg·d), 5.01E-3 mg/(kg·d) and 6.27E-3 mg/(kg·d) respectively.Hazard quotient was employed to characterize the dietary risk of formaldehyde via eating aquatic product with the application of @Risk software basing on Monte Carlo simulation . The result showed that the average and each percentile of the hazard quotient of general population through consuming both aquatic products and dried fishery products were less than 1. Moreover, the average and every percentile of hazard quotient by dietary consumption of dried fishery products was almost one order of magnitude lower than that by dietary consumption of fresh aquatic products. Therefore, to the general population, the dietary exposure of formaldehyde only by aquatic products'consumption was unlikely to bring about severe human health risk. To reduce the formaldehyde exposure from aquatic products, sufficient concern and attention should be given to the infant and childern in the subsequent risk management process.Based on the result of risk assessment, risk management aims to effectively control food risk level and protect public health with the selection and implementation of appropriate management measures. Taking into account other dietary sources of formaldehyde exposure pathways, risk assessment model of formaldehyde was estbablished by @Risk software to conduct quantitative dietary risk assessment of genneral population and high dietary consumers of aquatic products. It was suggested that the safety limit standard of formaldehyde in fresh aquatic products should be 30mg/kg. In conclusion, the main risk management measures to effectively control the dietary risk by consumption of aquatic products were to estbablish an effective risk communication with consumers and guide them carrying on rational diet.