Assessing the human health risks from organophosphate esters: exposure assessment via wild freshwater fish consumption

Shuhui Wang; Ang Zhao; Bing Wang; Yifan Zhang; Qian Han; Emi Yang; Haode He; Chao Wei; Yuxia Yang; Jianzhong Xu; Mei Wang

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.145339

Assessing the human health risks from organophosphate esters: exposure assessment via wild freshwater fish consumption

Food Chem. 2025 Jul 8;492(Pt 2):145339. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.145339. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Shuhui Wang¹, Ang Zhao², Bing Wang¹, Yifan Zhang¹, Qian Han¹, Emi Yang¹, Haode He³, Chao Wei¹, Yuxia Yang³, Jianzhong Xu¹, Mei Wang⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China.
² School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China.
³ College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China.
⁴ College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China. Electronic address: meiwang@hbu.edu.cn.

PMID: 40652659
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.145339

Abstract

This study utilized a comprehensive screening strategy to thoroughly investigate the species-specific distribution and tissue-specific distribution of potential organophosphate esters (OPEs) in 15 species of wild freshwater fish (n = 109). A total of 26 OPEs were identified, with tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate being the predominant OPE. The concentrations of OPEs ranged from 7.80 to 495 ng/g wet weight. No direct correlation was observed between OPE levels and fish body size. Feeding habits play a significant role in the accumulation levels of OPEs in fish species. Carnivorous fish exhibited the highest mean OPE concentration, followed by omnivorous fish, with herbivorous fish having the lowest concentration. Among all tissues and organs of fish, the brain exhibited the most elevated concentration of OPEs. The health risk assessment across all age groups based on Monte Carlo simulations revealed that children were at a high risk of exposure to OPEs through the consumption of wild freshwater fish.

Keywords: Health risk; Organophosphate esters; Wild freshwater fish.