Arsenic, cadmium, mercury, sodium, and potassium concentrations in common foods and estimated daily intake of the population in Valdivia (Chile) using a total diet study

Assessing the Health Risk and Trophic Transfer of Lead and Cadmium in Dairy Farming Systems in the Mantaro Catchment, Central Andes of Peru

This study investigated lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) transfer in three dairy farming areas in the Mantaro river headwaters in the central Peruvian Andes and at varying distances from the mining complex at La Oroya. At each of these sites, the transfer of trace metals from the soil to raw milk was estimated, and a hazard assessment for lead and cadmium was carried out in scenarios of minimum, average, and maximum milk consumption in a Peruvian population aged 2-85. Pb and Cd were quantified by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Significantly, the concentrations of lead and cadmium were found to exceed the maximum limits recommended by the World Health Organization, with a positive geospatial trend correlated with the distance from mining activity. Both Pb and Cd were found to be transferred through the soil-pasture-milk pathway, with the primary source of Cd being phosphate-based fertilizers used in pasture improvement. Pb was found to be the most significant contributor to the Hazard Index (HI) with those under 19 years of age and over 60 recording an HI of >1, with infants being the most vulnerable group due to their greater milk consumption in relation to their body weight. A marginal increase in contamination was observed in the dry season, indicating the need for studies to be expanded over several annual cycles.

Environmental and genetic predictors of whole blood mercury and selenium concentrations in pregnant women in a UK birth cohort

There is evidence that tissue concentrations of mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se) are predicted by numerous dietary, sociodemographic, environmental, and genetic factors. This study aimed to estimate the relative importance of predictors of Hg and Se concentrations in blood samples taken from pregnant women. The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) in the UK measured whole blood Hg and Se concentrations in 3,972 pregnant women. We identified 30 potential predictors of Hg and 24 of Se, which were evaluated using cross-validated random forests to identify the optimal models for predictive power. The relative importance of individual variables was estimated by averaging the added-R2 per predictor. Linkage disequilibrium score regression was used to estimate the variance explained by genotype. A multivariable model of 14 predictors explained 22.4% of Hg variance (95% CI: 13.0 to 37.1), including 6.9% from blood Se and 3.2% from white fish consumption. There were 11 predictors which explained 15.3% of Se variance (CI: 8.9 to 25.9), including 6.4% from blood Hg, 1.3% from blood lead, and 1.3% from oily fish. Measured genetic variation explained 30% of Hg variance (CI: 8.4 to 51.5) and 37.5% of Se (CI: 10.4 to 64.5). A high proportion of Hg and Se variance could be explained from dietary, sociodemographic, metabolic, and genetic factors. Seafood consumption was less predictive of Hg than may be expected and other factors should be considered when determining risk of exposure. There was tentative evidence that genotype is a major contributor to Hg and Se variation, possibly by modifying the efficacy of internal metabolism.

Arsenic, lead and cadmium concentration in food and estimated daily intake in the Cuban population and the health risks using a Total Diet Study

This study estimates the intake of arsenic, lead and cadmium by the adult population (aged 18-91) of Cuba. The food consumption indices were obtained through 24-h dietary recall surveys applied to 450 people between October 2020 and March 2021. The Estimated Dietary Intake (EDI) of t-As (54.6 μg/day), Pb (118.5 μg/day) and Cd (35.1 μg/day) complied with Cuban legislation but was higher than the EDI for Cd established by the CONTAM Panel. The Target Hazard Quotients for the three contaminants were: iAs (0.220), Pb (0.409) and Cd (0.424), making the value of the Total Target Hazard Quotient 1.05, which indicates potential health risks for the population. Additionally, associated carcinogenic risks were: iAs (1.0·10-4), Pb (7.2·10-4) and Cd (25.9·10-4). Therefore, 10, 72 and 259 persons per 100,000 inhabitants are likely prone to developing cancer due to the ingestion of iAs, Pb and Cd, respectively.

Spatial and variety distributions, risk assessment, and prediction model for heavy metals in rice grains in China

In this study, 6229 brown rice grains from three major rice-producing regions were collected to investigate the spatial and variety distributions of heavy metals in rice grains in China. The potential sources of heavy metals in rice grains were identified using the Pearson correlation matrix and principal component analysis, and the health risks of dietary exposure to heavy metals via rice consumption were assessed using the hazard index (HI) and total carcinogenic risk (TCR) method, respectively. Moreover, 48 paired soil and rice samples from 11 cities were collected to construct a predicting model for Cd accumulation in rice grains using the multiple linear stepwise regression analysis. The results indicated that Cd and Ni were the main heavy metal pollutants in rice grains in China, with approximately 10% of samples exceeding their corresponding maximum allowable limits. The Yangtze River basin had heavier pollution of heavy metals than the Southeast Coastal Region and Northeast Plain, and the indica rice varieties had higher heavy metal accumulation abilities compared with the japonica rice. The Cu, Pb, and Cd mainly originated from anthropogenic sources, while As, Hg, Cr, and Ni originated from both natural and anthropogenic sources. The mean HI and TCR values of dietary exposure to heavy metals via rice consumption ranged from 2.92 to 4.31 and 9.74 × 10-3 to 1.44 × 10-2, respectively, much higher than the acceptable range, and As and Ni were the main contributor to the HI and TCR for Chinese adults and children, respectively. The available Si (ASi), total Cd (TCd), available Mo (AMo), and available S (AS) were the main soil factors determining grain Cd accumulation. A multiple linear stepwise regression model was constructed based on ASi, TCd, AMo, and AS in soils with good accuracy and precision, which could be applied to predict Cd accumulation in rice grains and guide safe rice production in contaminated paddy fields.

Health risk assessment of toxic metal(loids) (As, Cd, Pb, Cr, and Co) via consumption of medicinal herbs marketed in Malawi

This study aimed to assess the potential health risks associated with consuming three commonly consumed medicinal herbs in Malawi: Azadirachta indica, Mondia whitei, and Moringa oleifera. The concentrations of five metal(loids) (As, Cd, Pb, Cr, and Co) were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, while their safety was assessed by comparing the measured values with the legislated maximum contaminant levels (MCL)and reported metal(loids) concentrations in other countries. The results indicated significant variations of metal(loids) concentrations amongst the studied medicinal herbs, with Azadirachta indica containing the highest mean As (0.078 ± 0.010 mg kg-1) and Cd (0.049 ± 0.05 mg kg-1) concentrations and Mondia whitei and Moringa oleifera contained the highest mean Co (1.01 ± 0.05 mg kg-1) and Cr (1.42 ± 1.18 mg kg-1) concentrations, respectively. However, the mean concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, Cr, and Co fell below the MCL set by World Health Organization (WHO), Alimentarius Commissions, and European Commission. The estimated daily intake (EDI) for each metal(loid) was less than 1, indicating that the studied medicinal herbs do not pose serious health risks to non-regular consumers. The study also emphasizes the importance of assessing the potential risks associated with consuming medicinal herbs contaminated with heavy metals or metalloids, as it can seriously threaten human health.

Genome-Wide Association Study of Blood Mercury in European Pregnant Women and Children

Mercury has high industrial utility and is present in many products, and environmental contamination and occupational exposure are widespread. There are numerous biological systems involved in the absorption, metabolism, and excretion of Hg, and it is possible that some systems may be impacted by genetic variation. If so, genotype may affect tissue concentrations of Hg and subsequent toxic effects. Genome-wide association testing was performed on blood Hg samples from pregnant women of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (n = 2893) and children of the Human Early Life Exposome (n = 1042). Directly-genotyped single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were imputed to the Haplotype Reference Consortium r1.1 panel of whole genotypes and modelled againstlog-transformed Hg. Heritability was estimated using linkage disequilibrium score regression. The heritability of Hg was estimated as 24.0% (95% CI: 16.9% to 46.4%) in pregnant women, but could not be determined in children. There were 16 SNPs associated with Hg in pregnant women above a suggestive p-value threshold (p < 1 × 10-5), and 21 for children. However, no SNP passed this threshold in both studies, and none were genome-wide significant (p < 5 × 10-8). SNP-Hg associations were highly discordant between women and children, and this may reflect differences in metabolism, a gene-age interaction, or dose-response effects. Several suggestive variants had plausible links to Hg metabolism, such as rs146099921 in metal transporter SLC39A14, and two variants (rs28618224, rs7154700) in potassium voltage-gated channel genes. The findings would benefit from external validation, as suggestive results may contain both true associations and false positives.

Assessing Health Risks Associated with Heavy Metals in Food: A Bibliometric Analysis

Bibliometric analysis is an effective method used to identify research trends based on historical publications that involves combining different frameworks, tools and methods, leading to the creation of different metrics. This study employed bibliometric analysis to investigate the global health risk assessment of heavy metals in food from 2000 to 2022 using Web of Science and VOSviewer. We explore publication trends, affiliations, countries, journals, citations, keywords and author collaborations. Of the 573 publications on this topic, there has been a notable increase in recent years. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (China) and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (Iran) are the most prolific affiliations. Environmental Science and Pollution Research is the top journal. Notably, "heavy metals", "risk assessment", "cadmium", "lead", and "trace elements" are frequently used keywords. A study by Miraglia et al. in 2009 received the most citations. Amin Mousavi Khaneghah (Poland) is the most prolific author, with 24 papers. Articles mainly focus on contamination levels in fish, seafood, cereals, dairy, meat, and fruit/vegetables. Some studies highlight potential risks, necessitating stricter food product controls for consumer safety.

Origin, dietary exposure, and toxicity of endocrine-disrupting food chemical contaminants: A comprehensive review

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a growing public health concern worldwide. Consumption of foodstuffs is currently thought to be one of the principal exposure routes to EDCs. However, alternative ways of human exposure are through inhalation of chemicals and dermal contact. These compounds in food products such as canned food, bottled water, dairy products, fish, meat, egg, and vegetables are a ubiquitous concern to the general population. Therefore, understanding EDCs' properties, such as origin, exposure, toxicological impact, and legal aspects are vital to control their release to the environment and food. The present paper provides an overview of the EDCs and their possible disrupting impact on the endocrine system and other organs.

Risk assessment of combined exposure to lead, cadmium, and total mercury among the elderly in Shanghai, China

Lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and total mercury (THg) are toxic heavy metals (THMs) that are widely present in the environment and can cause substantial health problems. However, previous risk assessment studies have rarely focused on the elderly population and have usually targeted a single heavy metal, which might underestimate the long-term accumulative and synergistic effects of THMs in humans. Based on the food frequency questionnaire and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, this study assessed external and internal exposures to Pb, Cd and THg in 1747 elderly people in Shanghai. Probabilistic risk assessment with the relative potential factor (RPF) model was used to assess the neurotoxicity and nephrotoxicity risks of combined THMs exposures. The mean external exposures of Pb, Cd and THg in Shanghai elderly were 46.8, 27.2 and 4.9 μg/day, respectively. Plant-based foods are the main source of Pb and THg exposure, while Cd is mainly from animal-based foods. The mean concentrations of Pb, Cd and THg were 23.3, 1.1 and 2.3 μg/L in the whole blood, and 6.2, 1.0 and 2.0 μg/L in the morning urine, respectively. Combined exposure to THMs leading to 10.0 % and 7.1 % of Shanghai elderly at risk of neurotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. The results of this study have important implications for understanding the profiles of Pb, Cd and THg exposure in the elderly living in Shanghai and provide data support for risk assessment and control of nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity from combined THMs exposure in the elderly.

Assessing the risk of human exposure to bioaccessible arsenic from total diet through market food consumption in Chengdu, China

To assess the daily intake of total arsenic (tAs) and arsenic speciation and their potential health risks, different food groups, including vegetables, rice, meat, viscera, freshwater fish, and seafood from Chengdu, China were analyzed. The concentrations of tAs ranged from 41.3 to 1185 μg kg^-1 with a median of 238 μg kg^-1, and 26.0% of tAs in the food groups was of inorganic toxic form. The median concentration of As(V) in rice (184 ± 21.6 μg kg^-1) was approximately 2 to 6 times higher than those in other food groups. The bioaccessible inorganic arsenic (iAs) concentrations of the food items obtained from the local markets of Chengdu ranged from 1.07 to 24.6 μg kg^-1 (mean of 6.04 μg kg^-1). Rice contributed toward the largest amount of daily iAs intake (66.2%). The mean daily iAs intake from vegetable, meat and viscera contributed 10.7%, 12.5% and 6.04% of total iAs intake, respectively. The actual concentration of arsenic in the food exposed to the human body depends on oral bioaccessible fraction. The oral bioaccessibility estimated daily intake (μg kg^-1 bw d^-1) of tAs and iAs for the residents of Chengdu was 0.32 and 0.16. Health risk assessments carried out based on bioaccessible iAs concentrations showed that the food items were safe for consumption from the iAs perspective.

Assessment of heavy metals contamination and human health risk assessment of the commonly consumed medicinal herbs in China

This study investigates heavy metal contamination of commonly consumed medicinal herbs and human health risks to the Chinese population arising from the consumption of herbs that contain potentially harmful elements. Food safety standards for Chinese residents are becoming stricter, and much work in this field needs to be performed. This study examines Co, Ba, Fe, Cr, Mn, Ni, Zn, As, Cd, Pb, Cu, Be, Sb, and Bi concentrations in four regularly consumed Chinese herb species: Radix Paeoniae Alba (RPA), Radix Angelicae Dahuricae (RAD), Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (RAM), and Radix Puerariae (RP). A pollution status examination and evaluation of heavy metals in RPA, RAD, RAM, and RP were performed. The human health risk assessment associated with the intake of potentially harmful elements in herbs was calculated in terms of the estimated daily intake (EDI), the target hazard quotient (THQ), the estimated hazard index (HI), and the lifetime cancer risk (CR). The mean single-factor pollution index (PI) showed that in the RPA, RAD, RAM, and RP samples, approximately 10.0%, 10.0%, 30.0%, and 10.0%, respectively, were polluted by Cd. The present study indicated that the pattern of consumption of the studied herbs in China does not seem to suggest an excessive health hazard associated with any of the toxic elements studied.

Health risk assessment for human exposure to mercury species and arsenic via consumption of local food in a gold mining area in Colombia

The risk to human health from exposure to certain pollutants through the consumption of fruits, tubers, and fish were evaluated in a settlement located in a Colombian area highly impacted by gold mining activities. The concentrations of mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As) in edible food tissues and methylmercury (MeHg) in fish were determined for risk assessment. A questionnaire-based dietary survey was answered by 178 residents of three population groups: children (CHD), women of childbearing age (WCBA), and the rest of the population (RP). The estimated weekly intake (EWI) of MeHg presented values of 1.9 and 2.4 times higher than the provisional tolerable weekly intake (1.6 μg/kg BW/week) recommended by the FAO/WHO for CH and WCBA, respectively. The results of the HQ values of As and Hg for different food were above the safety level (HQ < 1) for most of the groups. For Hg, the highest HQ values correspond to fish, whereas for As in most of the food, but specially in fruits. The total target hazard quotients (HI) were higher than 1, in all the groups (except for CHD that consume tubers) indicating potential non-carcinogenic health risks. The values of carcinogenic risk (CR) for As through exposure to food ranged from 1.2·10^-4 to 7.7·10^-4, well above than the safety level of US EPA risk (10^-4-10^-6), suggesting the probability of carcinogenic risk for the entire population via ingestion. Therefore, safety control mechanisms and environmental education strategies should be applied to address food intake, associated with good agricultural practices to provide solutions to protect the health of the residents in areas affected by gold mining activities.

Cadmium exposure in population: alcoholic beverage consumption and health risk assessment

Risk assessment of cadmium (Cd) for human health play a key role because of toxic effect. Researchers are undergoing constant development for modelling approaches to make a risk assessment. It was carried out a central composite design combining with response surface modeling to optimize and modeling of Cd2+ ions in this study. Also, this study was performed to provide information about possible risk associated with alcoholic beverage consumption. Some independent process parameters including contact time and pH were chosen for optimization. Under optimal parameters, 142.9 mg g-1 was determined as Cd2+ ions removal effectiveness. Significance independent parameters and their interactions were checked using analysis of variance. These results were verified by correlation coefficients (R2 = 0.9967) of the statistical prediction. Estimated daily intake (EDI) and target hazard quotients (THQ) were calculated, to assess health risk. The Cd2+ ions EDI values (µg/day/person) were less than the recommended dietary allowance values and also, its THQ value was less than 1, also. When the obtained results compared with the levels set by regulatory authorities, the studied alcoholic beverages consumption do not pose a toxicological risk.

Graphical abstract

Bioaccumulation characteristics, transfer model of heavy metals in soil-crop system and health assessment in plateau region, China

This study investigated the bioaccumulation and transfer of heavy metals including Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn in soil-crop system in Lhasa, and assessed the health risks of the edible part of the crops. The results showed that the average values of Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were 0.15, 44.55, 24.68, 532.40, 22.47, 38.18 and 73.99 mg kg^-1 in natural soil, and 0.16, 46.93, 38.45, 559.13, 23.23, 40.03 and 83.29 mg kg^-1 in cultivated soil, respectively. Highland barley and wheat had the strongest ability to accumulate Zn in grain, the BCF values were 0.24 and 0.27, respectively, significant differences in the distribution of metal contents in crop root, stem, leaf and grain were observed. Root presented larger accumulation capacity in most metals, Zn and Cu was easily transferred in the plant organs, most metals in this study presented difficult to migrate from root to grain. The transfer peak of most metals in soil-crop system appeared from stem to leaf. The concentrations of Cr and Mn in crop grains could be predicted according to the multiple linear regression models. THQ and HI values of heavy metals in edible parts of both highland barley and wheat were below the safety threshold of 1, indicating no detrimental effects posed to adults health. This study helps to understand the accumulation and transfer of heavy metals in soil-crop system in plateau region.

A mass-balance approach to evaluate arsenic intake and excretion in different populations

Unless a toxicant builds up in a deep compartment, intake by the human body must on average balance the amount that is lost. We apply this idea to assess arsenic (As) exposure misclassification in three previously studied populations in rural Bangladesh (n = 11,224), Navajo Nation in the Southwestern United States (n = 619), and northern Chile (n = 630), under varying assumptions about As sources. Relationships between As intake and excretion were simulated by taking into account additional sources, as well as variability in urine dilution inferred from urinary creatinine. The simulations bring As intake closer to As excretion but also indicate that some exposure misclassification remains. In rural Bangladesh, accounting for intake from more than one well and rice improved the alignment of intake and excretion, especially at low exposure. In Navajo Nation, comparing intake and excretion revealed home dust as an important source. Finally, in northern Chile, while food-frequency questionnaires and urinary As speciation indicate fish and shellfish sources, persistent imbalance of intake and excretion suggests imprecise measures of drinking water arsenic as a major cause of exposure misclassification. The mass-balance approach could prove to be useful for evaluating sources of exposure to toxicants in other settings.

Risk assessment of uptake of trace elements through consumption of cereals: a pilot study in Yerevan, Armenia

The study aimed to assess the dietary exposure and related human health risks associated with trace elements through the intake of staple cereals, including buckwheat, rice, and emmer. The contents of Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Mercury (Hg), Nickel (Ni), Molybdenum (Mo), Iron (Fe), and Copper (Cu) were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Cereal consumption data were obtained through a Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire amongst the Yerevan adult population. Concentrations of Pb, Cd, Hg, Ni, Mo, Fe and Cu were 0.75-5.56 µg/kg, 1.21-6 µg/kg, 6.7-6.99 µg/kg, 50.6-111 µg/kg, 20-429 µg/kg, 2770-30500 µg/kg and 601-1720 µg/kg respectively. The estimated daily intakes (EDI) of all studied trace elements did not exceed the health-based guidance values. The margin of exposure (MOE) values of Pb, Cd, Hg, and Mo for all clusters were above the threshold (>10 for Pb, Cd, and >100 for Hg, Mo) and therefore did not indicate a health concern. Meanwhile, in the case of Ni exposure, the MOE values for the second and third clusters of buckwheat consumption and for the third cluster of emmer consumption were below the threshold (<10) indicating that a human health risk cannot be excluded. Future work is proposed.

Dietary Intake of Toxic Heavy Metals with Major Groups of Food Products-Results of Analytical Determinations

Food contains a complex matrix of various substances, including essential nutrients, non-nutritive substances, and toxins, including metals. The main purpose of the study was to evaluate the contribution of major groups of food products to an overall intake of toxic heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Hg, and Ni) using a combination of the 24-dietary recall technique, the ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry) method, and chemometric tools. The obtained results reveal that there is a high potential risk of developing nephrotoxicity through the dietary intake of Pb in the case of both genders. The dietary intake determined for other elements (Cd, Hg, and Ni) was far below the limits established by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) supported analytical determinations and revealed that cereals and vegetables were major contributors to a total intake of Cd (39.6 and 17.4% of the total exposure, respectively), Ni (40.4 and 19.3%), and Hg (16.8 and 19.6%), while water and beverages were major dietary sources of Pb (31% of the total daily intake). In contrast, eggs, fats and oils, and milk and dairy products provided the smallest amounts of Cd, Pb, and Ni. Despite containing high amounts of Hg, considering very low consumption, fish were not found to be an important source of this element.

Use of mineral element profiling coupled with chemometric analysis to distinguish Zanthoxylum bungeanum cultivars and health risks of potentially toxic elements in pericarps

BACKGROUND

Zanthoxylum bungeanum pericarps (ZBP) are commonly used as food additives and traditional herbal medicines. Several mineral elements are known to have important physiological functions in organisms, whereas others are reported to have toxic effects. We determined levels of macro elements (Mg, S and Ca), essential trace elements (B, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se and Mo) and toxic elements (Ni, Al, Cr, As, Cd, Hg and Pb) in the pericarps of 19 Z. bungeanum cultivars. Hazard index values and incremental lifetime cancer risks were calculated to express health risks associated with pericarp consumption. Moreover, several chemometric analyses based on the mineral elements were used to distinguish Z. bungeanum cultivars.

RESULTS

The concentrations of 17 determined elements in the pericarps were ranked: Ca > Mg > S > Fe > Al > Mn > Zn > B > Cu > Ni > Pb > Cr > Mo > As > Cd > Hg > Se. The elements Zn, Cr and As had the highest variations in their concentrations. Cu, Mn, Se, Zn, Al, As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni and Pb posed some non-cancer risks, while As and Cd posed cancer risks. Mn, Fe, Zn, and Al were chosen as critical element markers for assessing ZBP using chemometric analyses.

CONCLUSION

Chemometric analyses could highlight mineral concentration differentiation among the 19 cultivars. The Z. bungeanum cultivar Z12 (from Wudu, Gansu) is best for producing ZBP, and cultivar Z18 (Guanling, Guizhou) can be a reference to classify and evaluate ZBP quality. The results provide valuable information for evaluating the potential safety risks of ZBP and contribute to inter-cultivar discrimination. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

A Comprehensive Review of Minerals, Trace Elements, and Heavy Metals in Saffron

Saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world, and its popularity as a tasty food additive is spreading rapidly through many cultures and cuisines. Minerals and heavy metals are minor components found in saffron, which play a key role in the identification of the geographical origin, quality control, and food traceability, while they also affect human health. The chemical elements in saffron are measured using various analytical methods, such as techniques based on spectrometry or spectroscopy, including atomic emission spectrometry, atomic absorption spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The present study aimed to review the published articles about heavy metals and minerals in saffron across the world. To date, 64 chemical elements have been found in different types of saffron, which could be divided into three groups of macro-elements, trace elements, and heavy metals (trace elements with a lower gravity/greater than five times that of water and other inorganic sources). Furthermore, the chemical elements in the saffron samples of different countries have a wide range of concentrations. These differences may be affected by geographical condition such as physicochemical properties of the soil, weather and other environmental conditions like saffron cultivation and its genotype.

Chronic cadmium exposure at environmental-relevant level accelerates the development of hepatotoxicity to hepatocarcinogenesis

Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental heavy metal with long biological half-time and adverse health effects. The long-term toxicity of Cd at low levels remains to be elucidated. Here, we investigated the impact of dietary Cd intake at environmental doses in the full disease cycle from liver injury, fibrosis, inflammation to cancer progression in mouse models and in vitro. We found that chronic low-dose Cd exposure promoted the hepatotoxicity and hepato-pathogenesis in normal and CCl₄ mouse models. Cd enhanced liver injury and accelerated liver fibrosis, a key risk factor for cirrhosis and liver cancer, featured as up-regulation of fibrosis-related markers (TGF-β1, collagen-1, and TIMP1) and activation of hepatic stellate cells. Consistently, Cd increased the inflammation and the infiltration of macrophages and dendritic cells in liver. At late stage, the angiogenetic factors, VEGF and CD34, were elevated, indicating abnormal angiogenesis. At the end of treatment, Cd promoted CCl₄-induced liver cancer formation, including incidence, tumor number and size. These effects were more pronounced in male mice than that in females. The promoting-effects of Cd on fibrosis and angiogenesis were further validated in hepatic stellate cells and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells. PPAR and ERBB signaling pathways were identified as the potential pathways to promote the toxicity of chronic Cd exposure. These findings provide a better understanding about the long-term influence of environmental Cd spanning the entire precancerous lesions-to-cancer formation cycle.

Temporal trend of the dietary exposure to metals/metalloids: A case study in Tarragona County, Spain

In 2018, samples of various food groups were randomly purchased in different establishments of Tarragona County (Catalonia, Spain). The levels of As, Be, Cd, Cr, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn, Tl and V were determined in the analyzed foodstuffs and their dietary intakes were estimated. Manganese was the element showing the highest concentration, while Be, Cr and Tl were not detected in any of the samples. Fish and shellfish was the only food group with detectable traces of all the remaining elements. The current levels were compared with the results of two previous surveys conducted in 1998 and 2013 in the same area. Although the levels of the analyzed elements in foodstuffs increased during the period 2013-2018, their intakes decreased by an average of 60%, due to consumption patterns changes by the population. Children and adolescents exceeded the maximum recommended intake of Ni set by the EFSA, while the dietary exposure to Pb for children was also above safety values. Compared with the concentrations found in 2013, Ni was the only element showing an increase, as well as an increase of human dietary intake. Meat, vegetables and milk were identified as the main contributors to Ni exposure. This trend was also correlated with changes in the biological burden of the same elements previously reported for the population of the area, for whom an increase of Ni in lungs was reported. Based on these results, Ni should be included as a target metal by food safety authorities, being suggested its inclusion in future Total Diet Studies.

Risks of consuming cadmium-contaminated shellfish under seawater acidification scenario: Estimates of PBPK and benchmark dose

We aim to assess the risks of renal dysfunction and osteoporosis that is attributed to the seawater acidification caused cadmium (Cd) level increase in human consumed shellfish. A physiology-based pharmacokinetic model was used to estimate Cd concentrations in urine and blood among shellfish-only consumers and among the general population. We used the benchmark dose (BMD) method to determine the threshold limits of Cd in urine for renal dysfunction and in blood for osteoporosis for assessing the human health risk. Our results revealed that seawater acidification could increase the Cd accumulation in shellfish by 10-13% compared to the situations under current pH levels. Under the lower seawater pH level, the daily intake of Cd could increase by 21%-67% among shellfish-only consumers, and by 13%-17% among the general population. Our findings indicated that seawater acidification would lead to a marginal increase in Cd intake among humans in shellfish-only consumers. The results of BMDs of urinary Cd showed that the threshold limits for renal dysfunction at 5% were 3.00 μg g^-1 in males and 12.35 μg g^-1 in females. For osteoporosis, the estimated BMDs of blood Cd were 7.95 μg L^-1 in males and 1.23 μg L^-1 in females. These results of the risk of Cd intake showed that the consumption of Cd-contaminated shellfish in the general population is largely unaffected by changes in seawater pH levels. Notably, the potential impact of seawater acidification on renal dysfunction for males in shellfish-only consumers face a 14% increase of risk.

Dietary exposure to arsenic and human health risks in western Tibet

The health effects of drinking water exposure to inorganic arsenic are well known but are less well defined for dietary exposure. The rising concerns of arsenic risks from diet motivated this study of arsenic concentrations in highland barley, vegetables, meat, and dairy products to evaluate arsenic exposure source and to assess health risks among rural residents of Ngari area, western Tibet. Total arsenic and arsenic speciation were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography combined with ICP-MS (HPLC-ICP-MS) respectively. Average total arsenic concentrations of 0.18 ± 0.21 (n = 45, median: 0.07 mg·kg^-1), 0.40 ± 0.57 (n = 17, median: 0.15 mg·kg^-1), 0.21 ± 0.16 (n = 12, median: 0.17 mg·kg^-1), and 0.18 ± 0.08 (n = 11, median: 0.22 mg·kg^-1) were observed in highland barley, vegetables, meat, and dairy products, respectively. Inorganic arsenic was determined to be the main species of arsenic in highland barley, accounting for about 64.4 to 99.3% (average 83.3%) of total arsenic. Nearly half (44.4%) of the local residents had ingested >3.0 × 10^-4 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 daily dose of arsenic from highland barley alone, above the maximum oral reference dose recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The inorganic arsenic daily intake from highland barley was 3.6 × 10^-4 mg·kg^-1·d^-1. Dietary exposure to inorganic arsenic alone increased the cancer risk probability to 5.4 in 10,000, assuming that the inorganic arsenic in highland barley has the same carcinogenic effects as that in water.

Effects of some industrial and organic wastes application on growth and heavy metal uptake by tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum) grown in a greenhouse condition

In this study, pot experiments were conducted to determine the effects of industrial solid wastes (ISWs) (ceramic, stone, and sugar factory wastes) and organic wastes (rice husk and wheat straw) on growth and heavy metals uptake by tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum) plants. The soil was treated with 10% of ISWs and 5% of organic wastes. The fractionation of heavy metals also has been studied in all treated soils. It was observed that the addition of ISWs in soil increased heavy metal contents in all fractions. The addition of organic wastes to control and treated soils decreased exchangeable fraction and increased organic matter and residual fractions. Following the ceramic factory and stone cutting waste addition, tomato yield significantly decreased as compared to control soil. The application of ISWs caused an increase in heavy metal contents of tomato plants. In control and ISWs-treated soils, dry matter yield of tomato grown in the presence of wheat straw was significantly restricted, while the application of rice husk increased tomato shoot and root dry weight. Results of experiments indicated that the application of both organic wastes significantly decreased heavy metal uptake by tomato plants. The investigation of health risk index (HRI) values indicated that in these industrial areas, potential health risk by intake of heavy metals from tomato for both adults and children generally assumed to be safe. The values of HRI were lesser when rice husk was applied to the soil. In general, these results highlighted that the application of rice husk in soils contaminated with ISWs increased the growth and yield of tomato and reduced the heavy metal toxicity for tomato consumption in contaminated soils.

Assessment of the health risks of heavy metals in soils and vegetables from greenhouse production systems in Iran

Overuse of chemical and organic fertilizers in greenhouse (GH) crop production may cause the accumulation of heavy metals in soils and risks to human health. The aims of this study were to compare physical and chemical properties of GH with open-field (OF) soils, to clarify the buildup of heavy metals and phosphorus (P) in soils, and to assess the risks of selected heavy metals in soils and cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) from GH vegetables in Hamedan, western Iran. The average total and Olsen P of GH soils were significantly higher than the OF soils for both vegetables. The order of total and available heavy metal content in tomato GH soils has been set as zinc (Zn) > nickel (Ni) > chromium (Cr) > lead (Pb) > copper (Cu) > cadmium (Cd) and Zn > Cr > Cu > Pb > Ni > Cd, respectively. The same order was found for cucumber GH soils, except that the position of Pb and Cu was changed. The results indicated that in both GH cucumber and tomato soils, the mean content of total and available Zn, available Cu, Ni, and Pb, was extra than in OF soils. There were no significant differences between average total Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb in GH and OF soils. Tomato vegetables had higher heavy metal content and transfer factors, particularly for Cr than cucumber vegetables. According to the health risk indices, Cr and Pb represented a high potential risk for health through cucumber and tomato consumption. There were limited Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn inputs from the irrigation waters, while the input of Cr and Ni may be important. However, the amount of manure application and heavy metal content of the manures was significant.

Impact of some industrial solid wastes on the growth and heavy metal uptake of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) under salinity stress

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of industrial solid wastes (ISWs) and salinity on growth and heavy metals uptake by cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). The soil was treated with 5% and 10% of the ceramic factory (CFW), stone cutting (SCW) and sugar factory (SFW) wastes. Plant of cucumber was grown under greenhouse conditions in control and ISWs treated soils and stressed with electrical conductivities of 0, 4 and 8 dS m^-1. Plants were harvested after 2 months and separated into root, shoot, and fruit. Then, dry weights and heavy metals contents in each fraction of plants were determined. The addition of all ISWs in soil increased total heavy metals content in the soil. In all treatments, growth parameters of cucumber decreased when irrigated with saline waters. As compared to control soil, the addition of CFW and SCW to soil decreased plant dry weight, while, it was improved with the addition of the SFW. The result of plant analysis showed that there was an increase in the contents of heavy metals (except Cr) in all parts of cucumber with the addition of ISWs. Salinity decreased the content of Zn uptake and increased another heavy metal uptake by all parts of the plants. The application of ISWs and salinity did not show a significant effect on bioconcentration (BCF) and transfer factor (TF) of heavy metals in plants. The health risk index (HRI) values of all heavy metals for both adults and children were found to be less than 1, so, the health risk of heavy metal for people who consume cucumber grown in these industrial areas was generally assumed to be safe.

Southern-Brazilian geopropolis: A potential source of polyphenolic compounds and assessment of mineral composition

Geopropolis is a stingless bee product compose mainly by soil, presenting complex composition geopropolis has bioactive compounds that will depend on geographical characteristics as well bee species, changing their chemical and biological properties. Thus the study aims to evaluate the solubility and chemical stability of geopropolis extracts, through radical capture capacity and reducing capacity. Besides, analysis of free and bonded phenolic compounds, and mineral composition. Geopropolis samples of Melipona mondury, Melipona quadrifasciata, Melipona scutellaris, Melipona seminigra and Tetragonisca angustula were analyzed. Both reducing compounds with a maximum of 2.96% GAE and free radical scavenging potential with a maximum of 5.84% AAE and 8.58% TE increases over 30 days of storage time. Also, methanolic extracts released at least 51% more reducing compounds and exhibited at least 27% more free radical scavenging potential in comparison to ethanolic extracts. The polyphenolic profile shows 31 compounds after acid and alkaline hydrolysis as cinnamic acid, ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, aromadendrin, vanillin. For the mineral composition, sixteen minerals were found among essential and non-essential, differentiating each sample by chemometric PCA and HCA analysis according to geographic region. Geopropolis is a potential source of natural compounds that could enhance food quality, increasing the bioactive content and preventing oxygen damages in foods, likewise for pharmacological application for healthcare.

Dietary intake of arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead by the population of Catalonia, Spain: Analysis of the temporal trend

In 2017, a monitoring study was conducted in Catalonia (Spain) to analyse, in widely consumed foodstuffs, the concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb), as well as those of inorganic As (InAs) and methylmercury (MeHg). Health risks were estimated for various population groups, classified according to age. A continued reduction of dietary exposure to these elements was observed when comparing the results from the current and previous studies performed during the last 17 years. This reduction would be associated to a decrease of As, Cd, Hg and Pb concentrations in food, as well as by changes in dietary habits. None of the adult groups exceeded the safety threshold established by the EFSA, but toddlers, infants and children exceeded the PTWI for Cd and MeHg. The greatest intake of Cd and MeHg corresponded to infants, being due to the consumption of cuttlefish and hake. The consumption of these species should be reduced to two or three weekly portions, being combined with the intake of other non-predator species. Anyhow, the current results indicate that is necessary to conduct further periodical surveys, paying special attention to the trend in the intake of Cd and MeHg.

Inorganic arsenic in food products on the Swedish market and a risk-based intake assessment

Inorganic arsenic (iAs) and total arsenic (tAs) were determined in common food from the Swedish market. Special focus was on rice, fish and shellfish products. For the speciation of iAs the European standard EN:16802 based on anion exchange chromatography coupled to ICP-MS was used. The two market basket food groups cereals (including rice), and sweets and condiments (a mixed group of sugar, sweets, tomato ketchup and dressings), contained the highest iAs levels (means 9 and 7 μg iAs/kg), whereas other food groups, including fish, did not exceed 2 μg iAs/kg. Varying levels of iAs were found in separate samples of tomato ketchup, 2.4-26 μg/kg, and is suggested to be one reason of the rather high average level of iAs in the food group sweets and condiments. Some specific food products revealed iAs levels much higher, i.e. rice crackers 152 and Norway lobster 89 μg iAs/kg. The intake of iAs via food was estimated by data from two national consumption surveys, performed in 2010-11 (1797 adults) and 2003 (2259 children). The estimated median iAs intakes in adults and children were 0.047 and 0.095 μg/kg body weight and day, respectively. The iAs intake for rice eaters was about 1.4 times higher than for non-rice eaters. Validation of the consumption survey-based iAs intake, using food purchase and market basket data mainly from 2015, resulted in a per capita intake of a similar magnitude, i.e. 0.056 μg/kg body weight and day. The estimated cancer risk for adults using low-dose linear extrapolation is <1 per 100,000 per year.

Lead, cadmium and arsenic exposure of schoolchildren of northwest Argentina from a risk assessment study

This study was designed to estimate the dietary intake of lead, arsenic and cadmium by schoolchildren population (aged 6 to 12) of northwest Argentina. Calculations were based on a 24-h dietary recall survey. A total of 1027 completed surveys were analyzed in both provinces. From the observed consumption, 22 composite samples were prepared from individual food items and water samples. For lead, 30% of the food samples were found below the LOD and 40% below the LOQ. For cadmium, 76% of the samples were below the LOD and 16% below the LOQ. For arsenic, only one sample showed values higher than LOD and LOQ. The exposure was similar to that observed in other studies, with mean results of 0.6 μg/kg bw/day for lead, 0.002 μg/kg bw/day for cadmium and 1.7 μg/kg bw/day for arsenic in the locality with this pollutant present in water. Although exposure levels do not exceed the limits established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, the presence of these contaminants in food should be monitored, taking into account that children are more susceptible to their neurotoxic effects.

Nutritional status and risks of potentially toxic elements in some paddy soils and rice tissues

This experiment was conducted to investigate the potential risk of toxic elements in paddy soils and rice straws, bran, and husked grains in Kuchesfahan, Gilan, Iran. The average content of total and DTPA-extractable of Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn were 7.0, 26.3, 20728.8, 1516.7, 43.8, 16.6, and 211.8 mg kg^-1, and 0.32, 14.1, 97.3, 63.4, 1.7, 4.8, and 56.2 mg kg^-1, respectively. In addition, the average content of Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in rice grain was 0.16, 2.4, 135.5, 34.1, 2.0, 0.6, and 15.0 mg kg^-1, respectively. The average transfer factor for Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn from soil to straw was 0.38, 0.16, 0.004, 0.13, 0.3, 0.04, and 0.09, respectively. The average values of estimated daily intake for Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn through rice consumption for adult are respectively, estimated to be 0.0004, 0.005, 0.32, 0.08, 0.005, 0.0015, and 0.035 mg kg^-1 body weight per day. There was no health risk index (HRI) values for adult greater than 1 (except three samples for Fe, and one sample for Mn and Cd); indicated that intake of single metal through the consumption of rice was safe. The average of heath index (HI) value for rice consumption was 0.33 and 0.35 for adult and children, respectively. Therefore, combination of several potentially toxic elements may not cause risk to local residents. Spatial distributions of HRI were obtained for potentially toxic metals in husked grains.