We determined the levels of Cd and Pb in liver and muscle of demersal fish from three lagoon systems (Urías, Huizache, and Teacapán) in the SE Gulf of California with the purpose of comparing the studied metals in fish from the three ecosystems and to assess the potential human health risk. Considering the number of individuals, the sequence of fish abundance was Teacapán > Huizache > Urías. Length and size at maturity of collected species showed that 76.5% of the individuals were juveniles. Overall, Cd and Pb were more accumulated in liver than in muscle. After multivariate analyses, considering fish tissue and locality, Cd and Pb levels were different (p < 0.05) between fish from Teacapán and Huizache. In general, the hazard quotients (HQs) of Pb were higher than the corresponding values of Cd; the highest HQ for Cd (0.0051) corresponded to Mugil curema, and the highest HQ for Pb (0.0099) was estimated in Diapterus peruvianus. With respect to the hazard index (accumulative risk from Cd and Pb), the most elevated value (HI = 0.0124) was estimated for Pomadasys macracanthus. Estimated HI does not represent a health risk at the consumption rates of the Mexican population.
Keywords: Fish; Gulf of California; Lagoon systems; Mexico; Tissue distribution; Trace metals.