Risk assessment of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol esters through dietary exposure from edible oils for the Zhejiang population in China by Monte Carlo simulation

The purpose of this study was to assess the risk of 3-monochoropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) esters from edible oils for the Zhejiang population in China. Exposure assessment of 3-MCPD esters was evaluated by Monte Carlo simulation based on the concentrations of 3-MCPD esters in edible oils combined with survey data on the eating habits of Chinese residents classified by age group and gender. The simulation results indicated that the mean daily intakes (CDI) of 3-MCPD esters for children 7-10 years old were 2.154 µg (kg BW d)^-1 for boys and 2.049 µg (kg BW d)^-1 for girls, which are lower than the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (PMTDI) of 4 µg (kg BW d)^-1 for 3-MCPD and 3-MCPD esters individually or in combination, set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. The range of mean dietary intakes of 3-MCPD esters in different subpopulation groups ranged 1.242-1.672 µg (kg BW d)^-1, which was lower than the PMTDI. However, the CDI values of 3-MCPD esters in high percentile exposure subgroups (95th, 99th) of males (7-49 years old) and females (7-10 and 50-75 years old) were all above 4µg (kg bw d)^-1. Outside of the senior group (50-75 years old), males had more exposure to 3-MCPD than females. The average hazard indexes (HI) of 3-MCPD esters to male and female children were 1.257 and 1.024, respectively, indicating there was a risk, but no immediate measures are required to address this risk. The average HI of 3-MCPD esters to adolescent, adult, and seniors were all below 1, indicating risk for those age groups were at an acceptable level.

Human Health Risk Assessment through Roasted Meats Consumption

Data on the content of metals and metalloids in roasted meats with different types of wood and charcoal are still scarce in the literature. The concentrations of metals (Al, Cr, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, V, and Zn) and metalloid (As) were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-OES) after microwave digestion, and the estimated daily intake (EDI) for adults was assessed to determine the hazard quotient (HQ). The concentrations of Al, Cr, Cu, and Fe in raw meats were below the data obtained in other countries. The concentration of As (0.17 ± 0.42-0.23 ± 0.10 mg/kg), Mg (206.77 ± 3.99-291.95 ± 8.87 mg/kg), V (0.42 ± 0.14-6.66 ± 0.80 mg/kg), and Zn (6.66 ± 0.80-48.13 ± 0.56 mg/kg) in raw meats exceeded the values in the literature. The concentrations of Mg, As, Cr, Fe, V, and Zn are high when the meat is roasted using wood. All levels of Al, As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, V, and Zn in raw meats are lower than those of meat roasted with coal and wood. The content of As in meat roasted with Chromed Copper Arsenate (CCA) wood (15.10 ± 0.27-26.25 ± 1.47 mg/kg) is higher than meat roasted with charcoal (0.46 ± 0.09-1.16 ± 0.50 mg/kg). EDI and HQ values revealed a minimal exposure of the adult population to those metals through roasted-meats consumption. However, EDI values of As in some roasted meats are above standard limits. Roast meats with wood showed higher levels of major and trace elements than meats roasted with coal. High exposures, in the long-term, may cause damage to health.

Exposure Risk of Rural Residents to Copper in the Le'an River Basin, Jiangxi Province, China

The Dexing copper (Cu) mining zone in Jiangxi Province produces China's highest annual copper output, and the mineral waste residue and wastewater associated with ore processing are responsible for the Cu contamination of agricultural soil and food produced in the Le'an River Basin. We studied the dietary Cu intake from various foods, and the induced non-carcinogenic risk in rural residents from Dexing, Poyang, and Leping Counties situated along the Le'an River. Different food types based on the local dietary habits and agricultural soils were collected, and their Cu contents were analyzed. The Monte Carlo model was used to simulate the dietary chronic daily intake of Cu (CDICu) and its non-carcinogenic risk in four subgroups (children, adolescents, adults, and seniors). A consistently decreasing trend in the Cu levels in agricultural soil and two local food types (vegetables and eggs) was found with increasing distance downstream from the mining zone from Dexing to Poyang, whereas this trend was not observed in other food types. The order of CDICu among the three counties was Dexing > Leping > Poyang, and the order among the four subgroups was children > adolescents > adults = seniors. The two major contributors to the total CDICu were vegetables and rice. Rural residents from Dexing County had the highest proportion of people with a hazard quotient (HQ) >1 (i.e., 79%), followed by Leping (60%) and Poyang (48%). For Dexing, ~98% of the children living in rural areas displayed HQ >1, compared with 97% in Leping and 85% in Poyang. Our results indicated the importance of the potential effects of Cu on the health of the local young population and the need to address such effects.

Association between Aluminum and Silicon Concentrations in Isfahan Drinking Water and Their Health Risk Assessments

Background:

High concentrations of elements such as aluminum (Al) and silicon (Si) in drinking water can affect human health. It is suggested that high daily intake of Al is associated with increased risk of neurodegenerative disorders. Si, as an antidote of Al, may decrease Al bioavailability. The study was conducted to estimate Al and Si concentration and correlation in water and evaluate their health risk.

Methods:

In this cross-sectional study, water samples were collected from 20 points of water distribution system and the water treatment plant of Isfahan in spring and summer. Samples were analyzed using DR-5000. The health risk was evaluated via calculating chronic daily intake (CDI) and hazard index (HI).

Results:

Significant negative correlation was documented between Al and Si (R = −0.482, P = 0.037 in spring, and R = −0.452, P = 0.049 in summer). These values were approximately similar in all types of Al and Si. The amounts of CDI for Al in spring and summer were 6.67E-04 and 0.002 mg/kg/day, respectively. The Al HI values were below 1 in both seasons.

Conclusions:

The significant correlation between Al and Si concentrations suggests that Si can eliminate Al in water, and probably it might do the same in the body. The health risk of Al intake from tap water was negligible, it was assessed in an acceptable range with an HI value of less than the standard levels. The health risk of Si remained unknown due to lack of information regarding its toxicity and adverse health effects.

Concentrations and potential health hazards of organochlorine pesticides in (shallow) groundwater of Taihu Lake region, China

A total of 27 shallow groundwater samples were collected from the Taihu Lake region (TLR), to determine the concentrations of 14 organochlorine pesticide (OCP) species, identify their possible sources, and estimate health risk of drinking the shallow groundwater. All OCP species occurred in the shallow groundwater of TLR with high detection frequency except p, p'-dichlorodiphenyldichlorothane (p, p'-DDD) and p, p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p, p'-DDT). DDTs and hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) were the dominant OCP contaminants in the shallow groundwater of TLR, and they account for 44.2% total OCPs. The low α-HCH/γ-HCH ratio, high β-HCH/(α+γ)-HCH ratio and β-HCH being the dominant HCH isomers for the majority of samples suggest that the HCHs were mainly from the historical use of lindane after a period of degradation. p, p'-DDE being the dominant DDT metabolite for all the samples indicated that the DDTs were mainly from the historical residues. Compositional analysis also suggested that there were fresh input sources of heptachlors, aldrins and endrins in addition to the historical residues. Correlation analysis indicated the hexachlorobenzene (HCB) impurity in the shallow groundwater of TLR was likely from the historical application of lindane and technical HCH (a mixture of HCH isomers that is produced by photochlorination of benzene). Carcinogenic risk values for α-HCH, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, aldrins and dieldrin in the shallow groundwater in majority area of TLR were found to be >10(-6), posing a potentially serious cancer risk to those dependant on shallow groundwater for drinking water.

Chemical-based risk assessment and in vitro models of human health effects induced by organic pollutants in soils from the Olona Valley

Risk assessment of soils is usually based on chemical measurements and assuming accidental soil ingestion and evaluating induced toxic and carcinogenic effects. Recently biological tools have been coupled to chemical-based risk assessment since they integrate the biological effects of all xenobiotics in soils. We employed integrated monitoring of soils based on chemical analyses, risk assessment and in vitro models in the highly urbanized semirural area of the Olona Valley in northern Italy. Chemical characterization of the soils indicated low levels of toxic and carcinogenic pollutants such as PAHs, PCDD/Fs, PCBs and HCB and human risk assessment did not give any significant alerts. HepG2 and BALB/c 3T3 cells were used as a model for the human liver and as a tool for the evaluation of carcinogenic potential. Cells were treated with soil extractable organic matters (EOMs) and the MTS assay, LDH release and morphological transformation were selected as endpoints for toxicity and carcinogenicity. Soil EOMs induced dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth at low doses and cytotoxicity after exposure to higher doses. This might be the result of block of cell cycle progression to repair DNA damage caused by oxidative stress; if this DNA damage cannot be repaired, cells die. No significant inductions of foci were recorded after exposure to EOMs. These results indicate that, although the extracts contain compounds with proven carcinogenic potential, the levels of these pollutants in the analyzed soils were too low to induce carcinogenesis in our experimental conditions. In this proposed case study, HepG2 cells were found an appropriate tool to assess the potential harm caused by the ingestion of contaminated soil as they were able to detect differences in the toxicity of soil EOMs. Moreover, the cell transformation assay strengthened the combined approach giving useful information on carcinogenic potential of mixtures.