Arsenic speciation in fish from Baltic Sea close to chemical munitions dumpsites

Invasive Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus) Fish from the Southern Baltic as a Source of Arsenic and Selenium-Food Safety Aspects

Minimizing human exposure to arsenic (As) and ensuring an adequate dietary intake of selenium (Se) are significant issues in research on food sources. This study measured the content of As and Se in the muscles, gills, liver, and gonads of the fish round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) to assess the benefits and risks associated with their consumption. This was achieved by using dietary reference intake (DRI), estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), and carcinogenic risk (CR). The elements were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry. The mean concentrations of As and Se (in μg kg-1 wet weight) were 25.1 and 161.4 in muscle, 58.8 and 367.4 in liver, 47.4 and 635.3 in gonads, and 16.4 and 228.5 in gills, respectively. Arsenic in the muscle portion of fish accounted for up to 0.5% of the DRI, while Se constituted approximately 30% of the DRI. The EDI values were below the reference oral dose (RfD). The THQ were much below the permissible levels (THQ < 1), and the CR were at least within the permissible limit (CR < 10-4). With regard to the As content, round goby muscles can be deemed safe for consumers. They may also be a valuable source of Se in the human diet. However, round goby consumption should be monitored for the proper and safe intake of these elements.

Levels of mercury, arsenic, cadmium and lead in Northeast Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) from northern European waters

Fillets from a total of 1245 Northeast Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) sampled in different fishing areas of the Northeast Atlantic during 2007-2016 were analysed for mercury, cadmium, arsenic and lead using ICPMS. Mercury levels varied from <0.01 to 0.36 mg/kg wet weight (ww) with a total mean of 0.046 mg/kg ww and were significantly higher in Skagerrak than in the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea and west of Scotland. Cadmium concentrations varied from <0.002 to 0.16 mg/kg ww with a mean value of 0.015 mg/kg ww. Only 0.24 % and 0.16 % of the sampled fish exceeded the EU's maximum levels for cadmium and mercury, respectively. Arsenic levels varied between 0.43 and 6.9 mg/kg ww with a mean value of 2.2 mg/kg ww and showed seasonal variation following variations in fat content. Lead concentrations were low and below the analytical limit of quantification (LOQ) in 97 % of the samples.

Toxic metals in fishes, mussels, and sediments from the Puck Bay in the southern Baltic Sea

BACKGROUND

The environment of the Puck Bay is under strong pressure discharged sewage and brine.

METHODS

Toxic metals (cadmium, lead, mercury, arsenic, bromine) were determined in fishes (flounder and perch), sediments, and mussels.

RESULTS

Toxic metals in flounder and perch from the Puck Bay occurred at varying concentrations: Cd - 0.002-0.004 mg/kg; Pb - 0.011-0.029 mg/kg; Hg - 0.050-0.070 mg/kg; iAs lower than 0.02 mg/kg. The highest concentrations of metals occurred in outer bay sediments: Cd - 0.829 mg/kg dw; Pb - 21.54 mg/kg dw; Hg - 0.305 mg/kg dw; iAs - 0.02 mg/kg dw. Metal concentrations in mussels were at low levels. High Pb content (1.915 mg/kg ww) was only determined in samples collected at the station near the brine outfall.

CONCLUSIONS

Concentrations of toxic metals in the fishes, sediments, and mussels from the Puck Bay indicated that the environment of the bay was in good condition.

Association between Mediterranean diet and metal mixtures concentrations in pregnant people from the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study

Diet is a primary source of nutrients but also toxic metal exposure. In pregnancy, balancing essential metal exposure while reducing non-essential ones is vital for fetal and maternal health. However, the effect of metal mixtures from diets like the Mediterranean, known for health benefits, remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the association between Mediterranean diet adherence and metals exposure, both individually and as mixtures. The study involved 907 pregnant participants from the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study. We calculated the relative Mediterranean diet score (rMED) through a validated food frequency questionnaire, which includes 8 traditional Mediterranean dietary components. Also, at ~24-28 weeks of gestation, we used ICP-MS to measure speciation of Al, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mo, Ni, Sb, Se, Sn, Zn, and As in urine, as well as Pb, Hg, As, Ni, and Se in toenails. We used multiple linear regression and Weighted Quantile Sum regression to analyze the association between rMED and metal mixtures. The models were adjusted for age, pre-pregnancy BMI, smoking during pregnancy, and educational level. High adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with increased urinary Al (® = 0.26 (95 % confidence interval (CI) = 0.05; 0.46)), Cd (β = 0.12 (95%CI = 0.00; 0.24)), Mo (β = 0.10 (95%CI = 0.00; 0.20)), and AsB (β = 0.88 (95%CI = 0.49; 1.27)) as well as toenail Hg (β = 0.44 (95%CI = 0.22; 0.65)), Ni (β = 0.37 (95%CI = 0.06; 0.67)), and Pb (β = 0.22 (95%CI = 0.03; 0.40)) compared to those with low adherence. The intake of fruits and nuts, fish and seafood, legumes, cereals, meat, and olive oil were found to be related to the metal biomarkers within the rMED. In conclusion, the Mediterranean diet enhances essential metal intake but may also increase exposure to harmful ones.

Association between mediterranean diet and metal(loid) exposure in 4-5-year-old children living in Spain

Even relatively low levels of metals exposure may impact health, particularly among vulnerable populations such as infants and young children. However, little is known about the interplay between simultaneous metal exposures, common in real-life scenarios, and their association with specific dietary patterns. In this study, we have evaluated the association between adherence to Mediterranean diet (MD) and urinary metal concentrations individually and as an exposure mixture in 713 children aged 4-5-years from the INMA cohort study. We used a validated food frequency questionnaire to calculate two MD indexes scores: aMED and rMED. These indexes gather information on various food groups within the MD and score differently. To measure urinary concentrations of cobalt, copper, zinc, molybdenum, selenium, lead, and cadmium as exposure biomarkers, we used inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), coupled with an ion chromatography (IC) equipment for arsenic speciation analysis. We applied linear regression and quantile g-computation, adjusted for confounders, to analyse the association between MD adherence and exposure to the metal mixture. High adherence to MD such as the quintile (Q) 5 MD was associated with higher urinary arsenobetaine (AsB) levels than Q1, with β values of 0.55 (confidence interval - CI 95% 0.01; 1.09) for aMED and 0.73 (CI 95% 0.13; 1.33) for rMED. Consumption of fish was associated with increased urinary AsB but reduced inorganic arsenic concentrations. In contrast, the aMED vegetables consumption increased urinary inorganic arsenic content. A moderate level of adherence to MD (Q2 and Q3) was associated with lower copper urinary concentrations than Q1, with β values of -0.42 (CI 95% -0.72; -0.11) for Q2 and -0.33 (CI 95% -0.63; -0.02) for Q3, but only with aMED. Our study, conducted in Spain, revealed that adhering to the MD reduces exposure to certain metals while increasing exposure to others. Specifically, we observed increase in exposure to non-toxic AsB, highlighting the significance of consuming fish/seafood. However, it is crucial to emphasize the necessity for additional efforts in reducing early-life exposure to toxic metals, even when adhering to certain food components of the MD.

Warning system for potential releases of chemical warfare agents from dumped munition in the Baltic Sea

The research aimed to determine the scale of the potential contamination of the southern Baltic by substances from dumped chemical weapons, in the context of applying a strategy for detecting the potential releases of toxic materials. The research included the analysis of total arsenic in sediments, macrophytobenthos, fish, and yperite with derivatives and arsenoorganic compounds in sediments and as an integral part of the warning system the threshold values for arsenic in these matrices were set. Arsenic concentrations in sediments ranged from 11 to 18 mg kg^-1 with an increase to 30 mg kg^-1 in layers dated to 1940-1960, what was accompanied by the detection of triphenylarsine (600 mg kg^-1). The presence of yperite or arsenoorganic-related chemical warfare agents was not confirmed in other areas. Arsenic ranged from 0.14 to 1.46 mg kg^-1 in fish and from 0.8 to 3 mg kg^-1 in macrophytobenthos.

Recent advancements in toxicology, modern technology for detection, and remedial measures for arsenic exposure: review

Arsenic toxicity has become a major global health concern for humans and animals due to extensive environmental and occupational exposure to arsenic-contaminated water, air, soil, and plant and animal origin food. It has a wide range of detrimental effects on animals, humans, and the environment. As a result, various experimental and clinical studies were undertaken and are undergoing to understand its source of exposures, pathogenesis, identify key biomarkers, the medical and economic impact on affected populations and ecosystems, and their timely detection and control measures. Despite these extensive studies, no conclusive information for the prevention and control of arsenic toxicity is available, owing to complex epidemiology and pathogenesis, including an imprecise approach and repetitive work. As a result, there is a need for literature that focuses on recent studies on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, detection, and ameliorative measures of arsenic toxicity to assist researchers and policymakers in the practical future planning of research and community control programs. According to the preceding viewpoint, this review article provides an extensive analysis of the recent progress on arsenic exposure to humans through the environment, livestock, and fish, arsenic toxicopathology, nano-biotechnology-based detection, and current remedial measures for the benefit of researchers, academicians, and policymakers in controlling arsenic eco-toxicology and directing future research. Arsenic epidemiology should therefore place the greatest emphasis on the prevalence of different direct and indirect sources in the afflicted areas, followed by control strategies.

Study on the composition and distribution characteristics of As in As-containing agent contaminated soil

In recent years, China and Japan are cooperating in the destruction of the Japanese army abandoned chemical weapons in China (JACWs). During the long-term burial of JACWs, As-containing agents leaked into the environment due to the corrosion of the shell, resulting in soil As pollution. This paper studied the fraction, speciation, and composition of As in the soil polluted by the As-containing agent in Jilin, China. The results showed that As was mainly distributed in the forest soil in the study area, with the highest concentration of 110 mg/kg, and had the trend of migration to the downhill farmland soil. As mainly accumulated in the amorphous Fe/Al oxides bounded fraction and residual states, the proportion of potentially risky fractions in the soil of downhill farmland is higher than that of uphill farmland. The speciation of As in the soil is mainly As(V), with an average content of 25.02 mg/kg. The transformation behavior of As in the horizontal migration of topsoil is mainly the oxidation of As (III). The residual organic As in soil mainly includes 2-chlorovinylarsonic acid, triphenylarsine, phenylarsine oxide, and diphenylarsonic acid. Similar to the influence factors of As, both speciation and organic compounds of As are significantly affected by Fe/Al/Mn-oxides, and degradation and transformation reactions such as redox occur during migration.