Distribution characteristics and dietary risk assessment of arsenic speciations in Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) in Anhui Province

In order to evaluate the arsenic pollution level and dietary risk of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) cultured in typical ponds in Anhui Province where we collected 27 samples from eight main breeding areas. We detected the arsenocholine (AsC), arsenobetaine (AsB), monomethyl arsenic acid (MMA), dimethyl arsenate (DMA), arsenite (As III) and arsenate (As V) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and high performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS). The results show that: 1) The total arsenic and total mass fractions of six arsenicals were 0.073−1.433 mg·kg⁻¹ and 0.039−0.543 mg·kg⁻¹, respectively, and the proportion of total mass fractions of six arsenicals in Wuwei, Wuhu, Dangtu, Chuzhou and Bengbu reached more than 60% of the total arsenic content. 2) AsB was the main arsenical. In all the areas, AsB accounted for 55%−91% of the six arsenicals contents and more than 50% of the total arsenicals contents in Bengbu, Wuwei, Dangtu and Wuhu. The six arsenicals contents were in a descending order: AsB>AsC>As III>DMA>MMA> AsV. 3) According to the evaluation results on the dietary risk of E. sinensis based on the inorganic arsenic (As III and AsV) contents and THQ values, the inorganic arsenic contents in the 27 samples were 0.004–0.040 mg·kg⁻¹. The range of THQ value was 0.006−0.065, much lower than 1, which indicates that there is no dietary risk in these samples.