Heavy metal bioaccumulation, water quality, and human health risk assessment in Sperata seenghala from Head Islam, Sutlej River, Indus Basin, Pakistan

This dataset reports tissue-specific heavy metal concentrations, water quality parameters, bioaccumulation factors, and human health risk indices in the freshwater fish Sperata seenghala collected from Head Islam on the Sutlej River, Indus Basin, Pakistan.

Sampling was conducted at two stations (upstream and downstream of the barrage), comprising 15 adult specimens. Three tissues (liver, dorsal muscle, and gills) were analysed for five heavy metals (Pb, As, Zn, Fe, Cr) following acid digestion (USEPA Method 3050B) and quantification by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Concurrent water samples were analysed for physicochemical parameters and dissolved metal concentrations.

The dataset includes four structured tables: (i) tissue × metal × station values with associated statistical summaries, (ii) water quality and dissolved metals, (iii) bioaccumulation factors (BAF), and (iv) human health risk indices including Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Target Hazard Quotient (THQ), Total Target Hazard Quotient (TTHQ), and Carcinogenic Risk (CR) calculated using the USEPA framework.

This dataset is provided to support transparency, reproducibility, and reuse in environmental toxicology, ecological risk assessment, and freshwater pollution studies in South Asian river systems. Interpretation of the results should be considered in conjunction with the associated scientific analysis.