Human Health Risk Assessment of Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury Ingestion from Baby Foods

Phosphorylating Tannin in Urea System: A Simple Approach for Enhanced Methylene Blue Removal from Aqueous Media

Tannin, after lignin, is one of the most abundant sources of natural aromatic biomolecules. It has been used and chemically modified during the past few decades to create novel biobased materials. This work intended to functionalize for the first time quebracho Tannin (T) through a simple phosphorylation process in a urea system. The phosphorylation of tannin was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), NMR, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), while further characterization was performed by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to investigate the morphology, composition, structure, and thermal degradation of the phosphorylated material. Results indicated the occurrence of phosphorylation, suggesting the insertion of phosphate-containing groups into the tannin structure, revealing a high content of phosphate for modified tannin (PT). This elevated phosphorus content serves as evidence for the successful incorporation of phosphate groups through the functionalization process. The corresponding PT and T were employed as adsorbents for methylene blue (MB) removal from aqueous solutions. The results revealed that the Langmuir isotherm model effectively represents the adsorption isotherms. Additionally, the pseudo-second-order model indicates that chemisorption predominantly controls the adsorption mechanism. This finding also supports the fact that the introduced phosphate groups via the phosphorylation process significantly contributed to the improved adsorption capacity. Under neutral pH conditions and at room temperature, the material achieved an impressive adsorption capacity of 339.26 mg·g-1 in about 2 h.

Transcriptomic evaluation of metals detected in placenta

This research aims to assess the concentration of metals in human and canine placentas from the same geographic area and to investigate how these metal levels influence gene expression within the placenta. Placentas of 25 dogs and 60 women who had recently given birth residing in Ankara, Turkey were collected and subjected to metal analysis using ICP-OES. Placentas with detectable metal levels underwent further examination including Next Generation Sequencing, transcriptional analysis, single nucleotide polymorphism investigation, and extensive scrutiny across various groups. For women, placentas with concurrent detection of aluminum (Al), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) underwent transcriptomic analysis based on metal analysis results. However, the metal load in dog placentas was insufficient for comparison. Paired-end sequencing with 100-base pair read lengths was conducted using the DNBseq platform. Sequencing quality control was evaluated using FastQC, fastq screen, and MultiQC. RNA-sequencing data is publicly available via PRJNA936158. Comparative analyses were performed between samples with detected metals and "golden" samples devoid of these metals, revealing significant gene lists and read counts. Normalization of read counts was based on estimated size factors. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to all genes using rlog-transformed count data. Results indicate that metal exposure significantly influences placental gene expression, impacting various biological processes and pathways, notably those related to protein synthesis, immune responses, and cellular structure. Upregulation of immune-related pathways and alterations in protein synthesis machinery suggest potential defense mechanisms against metal toxicity. Nonetheless, these changes may adversely affect placental function and fetal health, emphasizing the importance of monitoring and mitigating environmental exposure to metals during pregnancy.

Elevated Metal Levels in U.S. Honeys: Is There a Concern for Human Health?

Honey is a bioactive food used for millennia to improve health and treat diseases. More recently, researchers employ honey as a tool to assess local environmental pollution. Honeybees effectively 'sample' their environment within a ~ 7 km radius, actively collecting nectar, pollen, and water to bring to their hive. Foraging honeybees also sample the air as dust particles accumulate on their pubescence, adding to the hive's contaminant load. Many studies from around the world report elevated metal levels in honey, with the most reports from Iran, Italy, and Turkey, but only two reports have measured metal levels in honey from the United States (U.S.). We report levels of 20 metals from 28 honeys collected from 15 U.S. states between 2022-2023. We then focus on four toxic metals recognized as hazards in foodstuffs when the concentrations are above safety recommendations - lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury. Two of these metals (lead and mercury) are regulated in honey by the European Union (EU), though the U.S. currently lacks defined regulations for metal levels in honey. We consider the levels of these toxic metals by state, then compare the U.S. mean honey level for these metals against the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). Our results suggest U.S. honey have levels metal that exceed the PWTI and EU regulations and may be hazardous to human health. Further research is needed to determine if the effects of these toxic metal at measured levels outweigh the health benefits from consumption of honey.

Elemental composition of toxic and essential elements in rice-based baby foods from the United States and other countries: A probabilistic risk analysis

Consumption of rice-based foods provides essential nutrients required for infants and toddlers' growth. However, they could contain toxic and excess essential elements that may affect human health. The study aims to determine the composition of rice-based baby foods in the USA and outside and conduct a multiple-life stages probabilistic exposure and risk assessment of toxic and essential elements in children. Elemental concentrations were measured using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) in thirty-three rice-based baby foods. This includes 2 infant formulas, 11 rice baby cereals, and 20 rice snacks produced primarily in the United States, China, and other countries. A probabilistic risk assessment was conducted to assess risks of adverse health effects. Results showed that infant formula had higher median concentrations of selenium (Se), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and potassium (K) compared to rice baby cereal and rice snacks. On the contrary, rice snacks had the highest median concentration of Arsenic (As) (127 μg/kg) while rice baby cereals showed the highest median concentration of Cd (7 μg/kg). A higher lifetime estimated daily intake was observed for samples manufactured in the USA compared to those from China and other countries. Hazard quotient (HQ < 1) values were suggestive of minimal adverse health effects. However, lifetime carcinogenic risk analysis based on total As indicated an unacceptable cancer risk (>1E-04). These findings show a need for ongoing monitoring of rice-based foods consumed by infants and toddlers as supplementary and substitutes for breast milk or weaning food options. This can be useful in risk reduction and mitigation of early life exposure to improve health outcomes.

Cardiovascular disease in low- and middle-income countries associated with environmental factors

There is a growing recognition that the profound environmental changes that have occurred over the past century pose threats to human health. Many of these environmental factors, including air pollution, noise pollution, as well as exposure to metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and other metals, are particularly detrimental to the cardiovascular health of people living in low-to-middle income countries (LMICs). Low-to-middle income countries are likely to be disproportionally burdened by cardiovascular diseases provoked by environmental factors. Moreover, they have the least capacity to address the core drivers and consequences of this phenomenon. This review summarizes the impact of environmental factors such as climate change, air pollution, and metal exposure on the cardiovascular system, and how these specifically affect people living in LMICs. It also outlines how behaviour changes and interventions that reduce environmental pollution would have significant effects on the cardiovascular health of those from LMICs, and globally.

Trace elements in commercially available infant formulas in Iran: Determination and estimation of health risks

Infants are significantly more vulnerable to trace elements from their foods. The objective of the present study was to ascertain the concentrations of some trace elements namely; arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel and lead in infant formulas sold in Iran and to estimate the potential health risks to the infants through consumption of these products. The mean concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb in infant formula samples were 0.006, 0.040, 0.3980, 2.014, 0.166 and 0.285 mg/kg, respectively. The mean levels of the trace elements were in the following order: Cu > Cr > Pb > Ni > Cd > As. For arsenic, cadmium and copper, calculated EWIs (estimated weekly intakes) were within the PTWIs (provisional tolerated weekly intakes) recommended by FAO/WHO. For chromium, nickel and lead, the calculated EWIs were higher than the PTWIs in 88.8 %, 75 %, and 61.1 % of the formulas. HQs of Pb, Cu, Cd and As were above the safe limits, indicating health concerns from the consumption of some infant formulas. Based on the CR classification, CR values of some elements including Cd, Cr and Ni were above 1 × 10-4 in some brands, indicating that exposure to these elements from infant formulas may cause health risks. Therefore, regular monitoring of all the raw materials, stages of production and storage of infant formulas is essential to limit the exposure of this vulnerable age group to toxic trace elements.

The Effect of Exogenous Cadmium and Zinc Applications on Cadmium, Zinc and Essential Mineral Bioaccessibility in Three Lines of Rice That Differ in Grain Cadmium Accumulation

Millions of people around the world rely on rice (Oryza sativa) for a significant portion of daily calories, but rice is a relatively poor source of essential micronutrients like iron and zinc. Rice has been shown to accumulate alarmingly high concentrations of toxic elements, such as cadmium. Cadmium in foods can lead to renal failure, bone mineral density loss, cancer, and significant neurotoxicological effects. Several strategies to limit cadmium and increase micronutrient density in staple food crops like rice have been explored, but even when cadmium concentrations are reduced by a management strategy, total cadmium levels in rice grain are an unreliable means of estimating human health risk because only a fraction of the minerals in grains are bioaccessible. The goal of this work was to assess the influence of cadmium and zinc supplied to plant roots on the bioaccessibility of cadmium and essential minerals from grains of three rice lines (GSOR 310546/low grain Cd, GSOR 311667/medium grain Cd, and GSOR 310428/high grain Cd) that differed in grain cadmium accumulation. Treatments consisted of 0 μM Cd + 2 μM Zn (c0z2), 1 μM Cd + 2 μM Zn (c1z2), or 1 μM Cd + 10 μM Zn (c1z10). Our results revealed that an increased grain cadmium concentration does not always correlate with increased cadmium bioaccessibility. Among the three rice lines tested, Cd bioaccessibility increased from 2.5% in grains from the c1z2 treatment to 17.7% in grains from the c1z10 treatment. Furthermore, Cd bioccessibility in the low-Cd-accumulating line was significantly higher than the high line in c1z10 treatment. Zinc bioaccessibility increased in the high-cadmium-accumulating line when cadmium was elevated in grains, and in the low-cadmium line when both cadmium and zinc were increased in the rice grains. Our results showed that both exogenous cadmium and elevated zinc treatments increased the bioaccessibility of other minerals from grains of the low- or high-grain cadmium lines of rice. Differences in mineral bioaccessibility were dependent on rice line. Calculations also showed that increased cadmium bioaccessibility correlated with increased risk of dietary exposure to consumers. Furthermore, our results suggest that zinc fertilization increased dietary exposure to cadmium in both high and low lines. This information can inform future experiments to analyze genotypic effects of mineral bioavailability from rice, with the goal of reducing cadmium absorption while simultaneously increasing zinc absorption from rice grains.

Extending Regulatory Biokinetic Lead Models towards Food Safety: Evaluation of Consumer Baby Food Contribution to Infant Blood Lead Levels and Variability

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released proposed lead (Pb) action levels for foods intended for babies and young children in January 2023 based on the agency's interim reference value of 2.2 µg/day for dietary Pb. Since the 1980s, biokinetic models have estimated blood lead levels (BLLs) associated with environmental contamination, but their use in food safety assessment has been limited. We compared three recent biokinetic models (IEUBK Model, ICRP Model Version 5, and AALM) to develop insights on contributors to variability in potential exposures to Pb in consumer baby food products. While modest variation was observed for babies, the predictions trended to convergence for children aged 3 and older, approaching the U.S. FDA dietary conversion factor of 0.16 µg Pb/dL blood per µg Pb intake/day. We applied the IEUBK model in a probabilistic exposure assessment framework characterizing the distribution of Pb in soil, dust, water, and food intake in the United States. Soil and dust were the primary contributors to variance in infant BLLs, while food and water contributed <15% combined. Thus, reductions in upper-bound soil and dust concentrations will be necessary before achieving appreciable reductions in the frequency of BLLs greater than the BLRV of 3.5 µg/dL.

Health risk assessment of some selected heavy metals in infant food sold in Wa, Ghana

Infants remain a high-risk group as far as exposure to toxic metals is concerned. The levels of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), antimony (Sb), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As) in twenty-two (22) samples of baby foods and formulas were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The concentrations in (mg/kg) of As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Sb were in the ranges 0.006-0.057, 0.043-0.064, 0.113-0.33, 0.000-0.002, 1.720-3.568, 0.065-0.183, 0.061-0.368 and 0.017-0.1 respectively. Health risk assessment indices like the Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Target Hazard Quotient (THQ), Cancer Risk (CR) and Hazard Index (HI) were calculated. EDI values of Hg, Cr, and As were below their recommended tolerable daily intake, that of Ni and Mn were lower in 95% of samples, and Cd was also lower in 50% of the samples. THQ values for As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Mn, Ni, and Pb were 0.32-3.21, 0.75-1.10, 0.65-1.94, 0.00-0.37, 0.21-0.44, 0.08-0.12 and 0.26-1.13 respectively. The CR values were greater than 10^-6, making them unacceptable for human consumption. HI values were between 2.68 and 6.83 (greater than 1), which implied that these metals are likely to pose non-carcinogenic health risks to infants.

Health risk-benefit assessment of the commercial red mangrove crab: Implications for a cultural delicacy

Mangrove forests, provide vital food resources and are an endangered ecosystem worldwide due to pollution and habitat destruction. A risk-benefit assessment (RBA) was performed on the red mangrove crab (Ucides occidentalis) from the threatened Guayas mangroves in Ecuador. It was aimed to assess the combined potential adverse and beneficial health impact associated with crab consumption and define a recommended safe intake (SI) to improve the diet of the Ecuadoran population while ensuring safe food intake. Target hazard quotients (THQs), benefit quotients (Qs), and benefit-risk quotients (BRQs) were calculated based on the concentrations of the analyzed contaminants (121 pesticide residues, 11 metal(loid)s, antimicrobial drugs from 3 classes) and nutrients (fatty acids, amino acids, and essential nutrients). Except for inorganic arsenic (iAs), the THQ was below 100 for all investigated contaminants, suggesting that the average crab consumer is exposed to levels that do not impose negative non-carcinogenic or carcinogenic health effects in the long and/or short term. Concentrations of iAs (average AsIII: 25.64 and AsV: 6.28 μg/kg fw) were of the highest concern because of the potential to cause negative health effects on long-term consumption. Despite the thriving aquaculture in the Guayas estuary, concentrations of residues of the antimicrobial drugs oxytetracycline (OTC), florfenicol, and nitrofurans still were low. Based on the fact that different risk reference values exist, related to different safety levels, four SI values (0.002, 0.04, 4, and 18 crabs/day) were obtained. The strictest intake values indicate a concern for current consumption habits. In conclusion, the red mangrove crab contains various important nutrients and can be part of a balanced diet for the Ecuadorian population when consumed in limited portions. The present study emphasizes the importance of safeguarding the quality of the environment as a prerequisite for procuring nutritious and safe food.

Hybrid carbonaceous adsorbents based on clay and cellulose for cadmium recovery from aqueous solution

The current work describes the synthesis of carbonaceous composites via pyrolysis, based on CMF, extracted from Alfa fibers, and Moroccan clay ghassoul (Gh), for potential use in heavy metal removal from wastewater. Following synthesis, the carbonaceous ghassoul (ca-Gh) material was characterized using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), zeta-potential and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). The material was then used as an adsorbent for the removal of cadmium (Cd²⁺) from aqueous solutions. Studies were conducted into the effect of adsorbent dosage, kinetic time, initial concentration of Cd²⁺, temperature and also pH effect. Thermodynamic and kinetic tests demonstrated that the adsorption equilibrium was attained within 60 min allowing the determination of the adsorption capacity of the studied materials. The investigation of the adsorption kinetics also reveals that all the data could be fit by the pseudo-second-order model. The Langmuir isotherm model might fully describe the adsorption isotherms. The experimental maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 20.6 mg g^-1 and 261.9 mg g^-1 for Gh and ca-Gh, respectively. The thermodynamic parameters show that the adsorption of Cd²⁺ onto the investigated material is spontaneous and endothermic.

Assessment of cause-specific mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) induced by exposure to inorganic arsenic through drinking water and foodstuffs in Iran

The health risk and burden of disease induced by exposure to inorganic arsenic (iAs) through drinking water and foodstuffs in Iran were assessed. The iAs levels in drinking water and foodstuffs (15 food groups) in the country were determined through systematic review of three international databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) and meta-analysis. Based on the results of the systematic review and meta-analysis, the average iAs levels in drinking water and all the food groups at the national level were lower than the maximum permissible levels. The total average non-carcinogenic risk of dietary exposure to iAs in terms of hazard index (HI) was 3.4. The average incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) values of dietary exposure to iAs were determined to be 1.5 × 10^-3 for skin cancer, 1.0 × 10^-3 for lung cancer, and 4.0 × 10^-4 for bladder cancer. Over two-thirds of the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk of dietary exposure to iAs was attributed to bread and cereals, drinking water, and rice. The total annual cancer incidence, deaths, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), death rate, and DALY rate (per 100,000 people) were assessed to be 3347 (95 % uncertainty interval: 1791 to 5999), 1302 (697 to 2336), 72,606 (38,833 to 130,228), 1.6 (0.87 to 2.9), and 91 (49 to 160). The contribution of mortality in the attributable burden of disease was 95.1 %. The contributions of the causes in the attributable burden of disease were 72 % for lung cancer, 16 % for bladder cancer, and 12 % for skin cancer. Due to the significant attributable burden of disease, national and subnational action plans consisting of multi-disciplinary approaches for risk management of dietary exposure to iAs, especially for the higher arsenic-affected areas and high-risk population groups in the country are recommended.

Dietary Exposure to Toxic Elements and the Health of Young Children: Methodological Considerations and Data Needs

Concerns have been raised regarding toxic-element (arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury) contamination of commercially available infant foods around the world. Young children are vulnerable to the effects of toxic elements, based on higher absorption levels and potentially poorer detoxification capacities. Toxic-element exposures in early life exact high societal costs, but it is unclear how much dietary exposure to these elements contributes to adverse health outcomes. Well-designed epidemiological studies conducted in different geographical and socioeconomic contexts need to estimate dietary toxicant exposure in young children and to determine whether causal links exist between toxicants in children's diets and health outcomes. This commentary outlines the methodological considerations and data needs to advance such research.

Toxic metal exposures from infant diets: Risk prevention strategies for caregivers and health care professionals

Concerns are growing regarding the presence of toxic elements such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) in the ingredients and prepared foods for infants and young children. There are few clear, evidence-based, guidelines on the maximum tolerable limits of toxicants in foods and little understanding of toxicant exposure or adverse health effects attributable to dietary exposure. Caregivers are faced with the burden of making decisions about which foods to select, how often to feed them to their children, and what foods to limit. This article reviews the current literature and existing recommendations on dietary exposure to toxic elements in children under 2 years of age, and their health effects in early childhood-focusing on growth, neurodevelopment, and immune function. The article also outlines best practices for healthcare providers to address the concerns of toxic element exposure through the diet in young children. Several foods consistently appear in the literature as potential sources of toxic element exposure. Contaminated drinking and cooking water, including water used to prepare infant formula, could also be a major exposure source. In the absence of stronger evidence on effects of dietary modification, exclusive breastfeeding until six months of age, followed by a diverse diet are some strategies to reduce dietary toxic element exposure while ensuring an adequate and balanced nutrient intake. Healthcare providers can support families by sharing information and encouraging blood Pb testing, the only element for which such testing is currently recommended.

A Narrative Review of Toxic Heavy Metal Content of Infant and Toddler Foods and Evaluation of United States Policy

Excessive exposure to inorganic contaminants through ingestion of foods, such as those commonly referred to as heavy metals may cause cancer and other non-cancerous adverse effects. Infants and young children are especially vulnerable to these toxic effects due to their immature development and high ’food intake/ body weight' ratio. Concerns have been raised by multiple independent studies that heavy metals have been found to be present in many foods in the infant and child food sector. Most recently, reports from the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy suggest subpar testing practices, lenient or absent standards, and limited oversight of food manufacturers perpetuate the presence of these contaminants in infant and toddler foods. The aim of this narrative review is to evaluate the current state of policies in the United States designed to safe-guard against excessive heavy metal exposure and to discuss what is presently known about the presence of the so-called heavy metals; arsenic, lead, mercury and cadmium found in infant and toddler foods. PubMed was used to search for studies published between 1999 and 2022 using a combination of search terms including: “heavy metal,” “contamination,” “infant,” “toddler,” and “complementary food”.

Updated interim reference levels for dietary lead to support FDA's Closer to Zero action plan

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) utilizes a blood lead reference value (BLRV) to identify children with elevated blood lead levels (BLLs). At or above the BLRV, the CDC recommends actions be taken to reduce children's BLLs. In 2021, the CDC updated its BLRV to 3.5 μg/dL. To align with the CDC's updated BLRV, the FDA is updating its interim reference levels (IRLs) for lead from food to 2.2 μg/day for children and 8.8 μg/day for females of childbearing age. The updated FDA IRLs for lead will serve as a benchmark to evaluate whether lead exposure from food is a potential concern. The children's BLL associated with the updated IRL is less than those predicted by other agencies to result in 1 intelligence quotient point loss. Dietary lead exposure estimates for children in the U.S. suggest exposures greater than the mean may exceed the updated FDA IRL for children, indicating a need for additional efforts to reduce lead in foods consumed by young children. The US FDA is addressing this need by implementing its Closer to Zero action plan to reduce babies' and children's dietary exposure to toxic elements (e.g., lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury) over time.