Toxic elements and fatty acid composition in the freshwater fish family Cyprinidae (Rafinesque 1815): balancing nutritional benefits and health risks.

The aim of this study was to assess the toxicity of heavy metals/metalloids, including arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury accumulated in the muscle of commonly consumed fish from the Cyprinidae. We discussed the importance of fatty acids in the human diet and investigated their profile in the muscle of different fish species. Additionally, our goal was to evaluate the benefits of fish consumption in relation to its risks, not only by considering the advantages of fatty acids and the drawbacks of heavy metal toxicity but also by examining how these pollutants may alter the fatty acid profile in fish muscle, potentially reducing the quality of their nutritional benefits. We categorized these fatty acids based on their proportions in total lipids into muscle tissue of the SFA (saturated fatty acids), MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids), and PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) groups. Subsequently, we have described the toxic effects of selected elements on human health, reviewing that investigated exposure levels of these toxic elements in fish muscle and the safety of consumption through risk assessment tools such as total hazard quotient (THQ) and carcinogenic risk (CR) calculations. In the final section we focused on lipid metabolism, which is significantly affected by exposure to toxic elements. We searched for a possible relationship between the presence of toxic elements and changes in the fatty acid profile of fish muscle. The knowledge from other studies led us to the possibility of a lower PUFA content due to the damage of double bonds and the subsequent degradation of these fatty acids. Total fatty acid profile is a crucial factor in evaluating health risks and serve as an important indicator of fish meat quality. On the other hand, it can serve as a potential indicator of environmental contamination by these toxicants.