Health risk assessment of trace elements via dietary intake of 'non-piscine protein source' foodstuffs (meat, milk and egg) in Bangladesh

Determination of chromium in foodstuffs by using novel adsorbent in vortex assisted-dispersive solid phase micro-extraction method: An application of multivariate techniques

A new graft copolymer composed of polystyrene and polylinoleic acid (PLinas) with the sodium salt of iminodiacetate (Ida) was synthesized and used as an adsorbent. The vortex-assisted dispersive solid-phase micro-extraction (VA-dSPµE) method was used for the extraction and pre-concentration of chromium. Multivariate methodologies, such as factorial design and 3D surface plots, were applied for screening and optimizing effective extraction parameters. The influence of diverse analytical parameters, such as pH, sample volume, and interfering ions, on the extraction of chromium was studied. The calibration standard curve exhibited a linear range from 0.01 to 0.50 μg L-1. The relative standard deviation and limit of detection were found to be 1.65 % and 0.003 μg L-1, respectively. Extraction recoveries were found in the range of 96 to 99 % by using certified reference materials (CRMs). The adsorbent capacity of PLinas-Ida was found to be 112 mg g-1. The VA-dSPµE method demonstrated its effectiveness in the pre-concentration and determination of chromium within samples of foodstuffs by graphite furnace-atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS).

Health effects of heavy metals in meat and poultry consumption in Noakhali, Bangladesh

This study examined the quantities of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni, Fe, and Cu) in commercially available meat, poultry, and game products in Noakhali, Bangladesh, and their potential health effects, as heavy metal contamination poses a significant food safety risk to human health Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry was used to analyze heavy metals, and the health risk assessment was based on Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Targeted Hazard Quotient (THQ), Total THQ, and Total Carcinogenic Risk (TCR). Most samples exceeded Maximum Allowable Concentrations (MAC) for heavy metals. The EDI value of Cd, Pb, and Cr for duck liver, goat liver, and pigeon brain, were higher than the Maximum Tolerable Dietary Intake (MTDI). Children had 1.28 times higher HI values than an adult. The calculation of THQ of all elements in adults and children was in the order of Cu; Pb; Ni; Cr; Cd; and Fe. The calculated TTHQ values were in the range of 0.051 to 1.988 and 0.047 to 3.975 for adults and children, respectively. The TCR values for Cd in poultry liver, brain, and meat, Sonali chicken, cow, pigeon, duck, and goat liver were higher than the reference value for adults and children, suggesting a potential cancer risk. The average exposure to lead leads to an increase in blood pressure by 0.47 mmHg and a decrease in IQ score by 1.94 points. The present study reveals the need to determine strong relationships between heavy metal exposure and food supply.

Health risk assessment of heavy metal pollutants in Iranian hen eggs: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Eggs are a high-quality, nutrient-dense source of protein that is available at a relatively low price and the contamination of eggs by heavy metals is an important issue in public health. This review aimed to assess the risk of heavy metal pollutants in Iranian hen eggs. Original full-text available studies in Iran, detecting levels of Pb, Cd, As, and Hg in whole or part of the egg, and published between January 2000 and March 2023 were selected based on the inclusion criteria. The random-effect model was used to estimate the pooled concentrations of Pb, Cd, As, and Hg in Iranian eggs in meta-analysis. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) and the target hazard quotient (THQ) were estimated by both calculation and Monte Carlo simulations to determine the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk of egg consumption, respectively. The pooled concentrations of heavy metals in Iranian hen eggs from nine articles (11 datasets: 10 studies on Pb, 7 on Cd, and 5 on As and Hg concentrations) were Pb 0.29 (95% CI 0.20-0.39) mg kg-1, Cd 0.04 (95% CI 0.03-0.06) mg kg-1, As 0.05 (95% CI 0.03-0.07) mg kg-1, and Hg 0.03 (95% CI 0.02-0.04) mg kg-1. THQ did not show the non-carcinogenic risk; however, the ILCR for Pb concentration showed the threshold carcinogenic risk (mean ILCR = 8.94e - 4 and 9.0E - 4 by calculation and Monte Carlo simulations, respectively), with the greater risk for Cd (mean ILCR = 2.02e - 2). The carcinogenic risk of Pb and Cd concentration in Iranian hen eggs shows the urgent need for programs and policies to lower the risk for consumers by providing healthier feeding.

Content of Toxic Elements (Arsenic, Cadmium, Mercury, Lead) in Eggs from an Ethically Managed Laying Hen Farm

Domestic chicken farming has been promoted and spread in several Italian municipalities and worldwide as an aid to the self-consumption of domestically produced food. This study investigated the levels of four toxic elements (As, Cd, Hg, and Pb) in eggs from an ethical laying hen farm, comparing the element concentrations with those possibly present in supermarket eggs. A total of 201 eggs, 141 from the farm and produced by different hen genotypes, and 60 from the supermarket, were collected. The levels of the toxic elements were evaluated in the yolk, albumen, and eggshells of all eggs. The results show that the supermarket eggs' yolk and albumen were more contaminated with lead, compared to the rural eggs. Contrarily, the mean content of arsenic was higher in the albumen and eggshells of the rural eggs, compared to the supermarket eggs. The cadmium content was below the LOQ (0.005 mg/kg) in all samples. The mercury content was below or around the LOQ in all rural eggs. Overall, the supermarket egg albumens were significantly more contaminated than the rural ones. No significant differences were found in quality parameters for both types of eggs. The toxic element values that were detected were in line with other studies in the literature. However, despite the concentrations found not representing a risk to the consumers' health, the results of this study raise a potential food safety issue, and it would be desirable to set specific MRLs for eggs for consumers' protection.

Limestone and yellow gypsum can reduce cadmium accumulation in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea): A study from a three-decade old landfill site

Cadmium (Cd) toxicity has cropped up as an important menace in the soil-plant system. The use of industrial by-products to immobilise Cd in situ in polluted soils is an interesting remediation strategy. In the current investigation, two immobilizing amendments of Cd viz., Limestone (traditionally used) and Yellow gypsum (industrial by-product) have been used through a green-house pot culture experiment. Soil samples were collected from four locations based on four graded levels of DTPA extractable Cd as Site 1 (0.43 mg kg-1), Site 2 (0.92 mg kg-1), Site 3 (1.77 mg kg-1) and Site 4 (4.48 mg kg-1). The experiment was laid out in a thrice replicated Factorial Complete Randomized Design, with one factor as limestone (0, 250, 500 mg kg-1) and the other being yellow gypsum (0, 250, 500 mg kg-1) on the collected soils and groundnut was grown as a test crop. Results revealed that the DTPA-extractable Cd content in soil and Cd concentration in plants decreased significantly with the increasing doses of amendments irrespective of initial soil available Cd and types of amendment used. The effect of amendment was soil specific and in case of Site 1 (low initial Cd) the effect was more prominent. The reduction in DTPA-extractable Cd in combined application of limestone and yellow gypsum @500 mg kg-1 over the absolute control in soil under groundnut for the sites was by far the highest with the values of 83.72%, 77.17%, 48.59% and 40.63% respectively. With the combined application, Target Cancer Risk (TCR) of Cd was also reduced. Hence, combined application of limestone and yellow gypsum can be beneficial in the long run for mitigating Cd pollution.

Levels and Health Risk Assessment of Inorganic Arsenic, Methylmercury, and Heavy Metals in Edible Mushrooms Collected from Online Supermarket in China

Chromium (Cr), total arsenic (As), inorganic arsenic (iAs), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), methylmercury (MeHg), and lead (Pb) were analyzed in in Agaricus blazei, Tricholoma matsutake, Pholiota nameko, agrocybe aegirit, Boletus edulis, Auricularia auricula, and Lentinus edodes collected from online supermarket in China from 2015 to 2017. The order of mean concentrations for the five heavy metals in edible mushrooms was As > Cd > Cr > Pb > Hg. No positive correlation was found between total As and iAs, nor between total Hg and MeHg. The contents of iAs were at a low level except for A. blazei samples. The contents of MeHg were at a low level in all test mushroom samples. And Cr, Cd, and Pb pollution were common problems in the test mushroom samples. The comprehensive factor pollution index was between 0.569 (A. auricula) and 3.056 (B. edulis). The THQ values for the five heavy metals from P. nameko, A. auricula, A. aegirit, and L. edodes samples were less than 1. The hazard index (HI) values of A. blazei, T. matsutake, and B. edulis samples for adults and children were greater than 1, indicating significant health hazard to the adults and children consumers. The cancer risk (CR) values for iAs ranged from 3.82 × 10- 6 (T. matsutake) to 8.61 × 10- 5 (A. blazei), indicating no potential carcinogenic risk to the consumers. The order for carcinogenic risk of each edible mushroom species was A. blazei > L. edodes > P. nameko > A. aegirit > A. auricula > B. edulis > T. matsutake.

Cadmium and lead accumulation in important food crops due to wastewater irrigation: Pollution index and health risks assessment

The contamination of farm soils with heavy metals (HMs) has raised significant concerns due to the increased bioavailability and accumulation of HMs in agricultural food crops. To address this issue, a survey experiment was conducted in the suburbs of Multan and Faisalabad to investigate the spatial distribution, bioaccumulation, translocation, and health risks of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in agricultural crops. The results show a considerable concentration of Cd and Pb in soils irrigated with wastewater, even though these levels were below the permissible limits in water and soil matrices. The pollution index for Cd was mostly greater than 1 at the selected sites, indicating its accumulation in soil over time due to wastewater irrigation. Conversely, the pollution index for Pb was below 1 at all sites. Among the plants, Zea mays accumulated the highest concentration of Cd and Pb. The translocation factor from soil to root was highest for Brassica olearecea (7.037 for Cd) and Zea mays (6.383 for Pb). The target hazard quotient (THQ) value of Cd exceeded the non-carcinogenic limit for most vegetables. The highest value was found in Allium cepa (5.256) and the lowest in Allium sativum (0.040). In contrast, the THQ level of Pb was below the non-carcinogenic limit for most vegetables, except for Allium cepa (1.479), Solanum lycopersicum (1.367), and Solanum tuberosum (1.326). The study highlights that Allium cepa poses the highest health risk for humans, while Medicago sativa poses the highest risk for animals due to Cd and Pb contamination. These results underscore the urgent need for effective measures to mitigate the health risks associated with HM contamination in crops and soils.

Elemental Profile in Chicken Egg Components and Associated Human Health Risk Assessment

Egg is a food product of high nutritional quality, extensively consumed worldwide. The objectives of this study were the determination of the elemental profile in eggs (egg white, yolk, and eggshell), the estimation of the non-carcinogenic health risk associated with the presence of heavy metals in investigated egg samples, and the development of statistical models to identify the best predictors for the differentiation of egg components. The assessments were carried out in a total set of 210 samples, comprising home-produced and commercial eggs, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results suggested measurable differences amongst hen eggs coming from different husbandry systems. The statistical models employed in this study identified several elemental markers that can be used for discriminating between market and local producer samples. The non-carcinogenic risk related to the consumption of the analyzed egg samples was generally in the safe range for the consumers, below the maximum permitted levels set by Romanian and European legislation. Food contamination is a public health problem worldwide, and the risk associated with exposure to trace metals from food products has aroused widespread concern in human health, so assessing the heavy metal content in food products is mandatory to evaluate the health risk.

Occurrence, Source and Dietary Exposure of Toxic and Essential Elements in the Indian Food Basket

In this study, representative urban and peri-urban Indian food baskets have been studied for the presence of toxic and essential elements. The concentration of target toxic and essential elements was used to estimate dietary intakes (EDIs) and health risks. Across all food matrices, toxic elements like Cd and Pb were dominant. The highest concentrations of the target elements were found in vegetables, with Cd, Pb, and Ni being beyond permissible limits of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health organization (0.05 mg/kg, 0.1 mg/kg, and 1.5 mg/kg, respectively) in okra, spinach, and cauliflower. The sum of concentrations of the toxic elements (As, Ni, Hg, Cr, Cd, Pb) in vegetables had a range of 0.54-12.08 mg/kg, the highest sum was found in spinach (median 12.08 mg/kg), followed by okra (median 1.68 mg/kg). The EDI was observed for vegetables with a contribution as high as 92% for Cd. Dairy products were found with the highest loading for Ni with a dietary intake of 3.1 mg/kg/day for adults and twice as much for children. Carcinogenic risk for Ni was the highest and found above the threshold for all food categories, as was the case with As. Cumulative carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks were mostly contributed by milk and vegetables, in particular, spinach.

Heavy metals induced health risk assessment through consumption of selected commercially available spices in Noakhali district of Bangladesh

There are growing concerns for food safety due to the risks associated with heavy metal contamination of culinary herbs and spices in developing countries like Bangladesh. The objective of the present cross-sectional study is to determine the concentrations of the heavy metals Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), and Iron (Fe) in the branded and non-branded spices collected from the Noakhali district by Atomic absorption spectrophotometry method, as well as to assess the health hazard risk associated with heavy metals intake via consumption of spices. The findings revealed that the greatest concentrations of Pb (15.47 ± 1.93), Cd (1.65 ± 0.011), Cr (31.99 ± 3.97), Cu (18.84 ± 1.97), and Fe (9.29 ± 1.71) were found in Cardamom, Coriander leaf, Bay leaf, Dried chili, and Black pepper respectively. Around 37 % of Cr and 5 % of Fe Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) were greater than reference doses (RfD). All spices had Total Hazard Quotient (THQ) values for Pb, Cd, Cu, and Fe that were below acceptable, and 37 % of all spices had Total Target Hazard Quotient (TTHQ) values for Pb, Cd, Cu, and Fe that were over the standard range, suggesting adverse health impacts for consumers. Green chili, ginger, coriander leaf, and all kinds of chili powder and turmeric powder have been reported to have exceptionally high TTHQ levels of Cr. The estimated carcinogenic risk for chromium in non-branded coriander leaf was found to be higher than safe levels. This study provides valuable insights into the commonly consumed spices in Bangladesh and their potential health risks associated with heavy metal contamination. The findings of this study can be used by regulatory authorities to develop effective strategies and actions to mitigate these risks and safeguard public health.

Assessment of human health hazard associated with heavy metal accumulation in popular freshwater, coastal and marine fishes from south-west region, Bangladesh

An analysis was conducted on both freshwater, coastal and marine fish species to evaluate the concentrations of heavy metals, with the aim of assessing their levels and examining the potential health risks for humans linked to the consumption of contaminated fish. This study estimate concentrations of Cr, Fe, Cu, As, Cd and Pb in 60 individuals belonging to 20 species (10 species for freshwater and another 10 for coastal and marine fishes) by using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Metal concentrations of Cr, Fe, and Pb in freshwater fishes and Cr, Fe, As, and Pb in marine fishes were exceeded the maximum allowable concentration (MAC). The Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Average Pollution Load Index (APLI), Target Hazard Quotient (THQ), Hazard Index (HI) and Target Cancer Risk (TCR) of heavy metals were determined for the assessment of human health risk. Ranking order of the values of EDI for freshwater fishes, coastal and marine fishes were Cd > Fe > Pb > Cr > Cu > As and Cd > Fe > Pb > Cr > As > Cu. Highest APLI value of 8.14 (Puntius ticto) that is seriously polluted and 3.003 observed in Otolichthoides pama in freshwater and marine fishes, respectively. THQPb and THQAs for all the fish species were exceed the safe limit (THQ>1) suggesting potential health risk to consumers. The hazard index for both the fish samples were exceeded the USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) permitted risk level (HI > 1). The target carcinogenic risk value for Cr and As were crossed the USEPA standard limit (TCR> 1E-04), which denotes that continuous consumption of studied fishes may cause health risk to the consumers. On the other hand, sensitivity analysis of freshwater, coastal and marine fishes indicates that all the metal concentrations were responsible factor for health risk.

Consumer health risk assessment of Arsenic and Mercury in hen eggs through Monte Carlo simulations

BACKGROUND

This study was conducted to assess the concentration of heavy metals (arsenic and mercury) and estimate the probability that consumption of hen egg products collected in Iran has carcinogenic or non-carcinogenic consequences.

METHODS

A total of eighty-four hen eggs from 21 major brands were randomly selected from among thirty local supermarkets in two seasons (winter (January) and summer (August) 2022). Arsenic (As) and Mercury (Hg) was determined by using ICP-MS. The human health risk assessment refers to the formulation of the USEPA standard focused on Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), International Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR), Target Hazard Quotient (THQ), and Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) as a probabilistic method. Data analysis was carried out using the statistical software SPSS. Differences in mean concentrations of As and Hg in two seasons were tested by paired t-test.

RESULTS

Over two seasons, the average As and Hg concentrations in hen eggs were 0.79 and 0.18 µg.kg^-1, respectively. Seasonal difference in As concentration (p = 0.451) was not significant, whereas that of Hg concentration (p < 0.001) was significant. The calculated value of EDI was 0.29 µg As/day and 0.06 µg Hg/day. The EWI in the maximum scenario of as level in hen eggs was estimated to be 8.71 µg As and 1.89 µg Hg/month for Iranian adults. THQ's mean for As and Hg in adults was determined to be 0.00385 and 0.00066, respectively. In addition, ILCRs by MCS for As were 4.35E-4.

CONCLUSION

In total, the result indicates that there was not a significant risk of developing cancer; the calculation of THQ was still below the accepted level of 1, indicating that there was no risk while, according to most regulatory programs (ILCR > 10^- 4) shows a threshold carcinogenic risk of arsenic through consuming in hen eggs. Therefore, policymakers need to be aware that it is prohibited to establish chicken farms in heavily polluted urban areas. It is essential to regularly conduct examinations to measure the presence of heavy metals in both ground waters used for agriculture and the feed provided to chickens. Additionally, it is advisable to focus on raising public awareness about the importance of maintaining a healthy diet.

Effect of feed trace elements on eggs of five strains of laying hens and their health risk assessment

BACKGROUND

Trace elements are essential for human nutrition, and their deficiencies or excesses are strongly associated with several diseases, such as cardiovascular ones.

OBJECTIVES

The current cross-sectional study investigated the concentration of essential trace elements (copper, non-metal selenium, iron, zinc, cobalt and manganese) in eggs and diets of five strains of laying hens.

METHODS

The yolk and albumen were analysed separately, and wet preparation was carried out following inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry detection. The target hazard quotients (THQs) for the non-carcinogenic disease were calculated by the United States environmental protection agency (USEPA) method.

RESULTS

The highest concentrations of selenium, zinc and manganese were found in egg yolks of native hens (0.76, 44.22 and 6.52 mg/kg, respectively). The highest amounts of copper and cobalt were recorded in the egg yolk of Lohman (2.07 and 0.023 mg/kg, respectively). On the other hand, the egg yolk of Bovans contained the highest amount of iron (57.46 mg/kg).

CONCLUSION

Overall, the potential health risks were minimal, and the consumption of eggs was generally safe.

Risk assessment of lead and cadmium concentrations in hen's eggs using Monte Carlo simulations

The hen egg is one of the main sources of cheap, great quality, and nutritious food. This study aimed at determining the level of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in hen eggs and at assessing the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks caused by the consumption of hen eggs collected in Iran. A total of 42 hen eggs from 17 major brands were randomly sampled from supermarkets. Lead and cadmium concentrations were determined by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Additionally, using the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) method to calculate dietary exposure, target hazard quotient (THQ), and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR), the related human health risk associated with ingesting these hazardous metals for adults was evaluated. The average Pb and Cd concentrations in whole eggs were 7.16 ± 0.248, and 2.83 ± 0.151 μg kg^-1, respectively, which were less than the maximum permitted levels, established by FAO/WHO and the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran (ISIRI). Pb and Cd concentrations were significantly correlated at the 0.05 level (r = 0.350). Regarding the levels of Pb and Cd in eggs, overall, the estimated weekly intake (EWI) of these metals for adults by egg consumption was determined 0.014 and 0.007 mg/week, respectively, which were lower than the risk values suggested. The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic indexes of Cd and Pb indicated that the adult population in Iran was safe (THQ Pb and Cd <1, ILCR <10^-6 Pb). It should be emphasized that this research primarily focuses on egg consumption, which may account for a relatively small portion of Iranian consumers' overall exposure to Pb and Cd. Therefore, a comprehensive study on the risk assessment of these metals through whole-diet foods is recommended. The findings showed that lead and cadmium levels in all evaluated eggs were suitable for human consumption. Adults' Pb and Cd exposure from eating eggs was significantly lower than the risk levels established by Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), per the exposure assessment. According to the THQ values of these dangerous metals, which were below one value, egg eating by Iranian consumers does not present a non-carcinogenic risk. In addition, this finding provides accurate and reliable information for policymakers to improve food safety status to reduce public health hazards.

Trace element contamination in rice and its potential health risks to consumers in North-Central Vietnam

Lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), and nickel (Ni) are poisonous, widely distributed, persistent, and transferable to crops, posing potential health risks. This study aims to assess the potential health risks of those elements in rice collected from North-Central Vietnam: Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, and Ha Tinh provinces. Element analysis was performed on rice harvested in November 2020 by ICP-MS. The estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), non-carcinogenic hazard index (HI), and target carcinogenic risk (TR) were used to assess potential health risks for different population groups. The highest element levels (mg kg^-1 dry weight) were observed for Cr (0.30 ± 0.11), As (0.17 ± 0.025) and for Pb (0.24 ± 0.013) in Thanh Hoa, and for Cd (0.088 ± 0.015) in Ha Tinh. Strong links were observed between geological formations, mining activities and Cr in rice (Thanh Hoa), or industrial activities and Ni accumulation in rice (Hung Nguyen and Ky Anh districts). Children had greater EDIs than adults, with As having a higher EDI than RfD. Rice THQs indicated a risk trend: Thanh Hoa > Ha Tinh > Nghe An, with As being a significant contributor to HIs. Cr and Cd were significant risk factors and HIs in female children were 1.5 times higher than in other groups. Based on TR values for Ni and Pb, a potential carcinogenic risk to rice eaters was observed, particularly Ni. The data revealed a significant human health risk (both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic) connected with rice consumption. Therefore, crops and foods from North-Central Vietnam should be strictly regulated.

Trace metal exposure and human health consequences through consumption of market-available Oreochromis niloticus (L.) in Bangladesh

Using Oreochromis niloticus (L.), commonly known as tilapia, as a model, this study evaluated the exposure of trace metal and their risk assessment on human health. In addition, the status of amino acids, fatty acids, vital elements, and their benefits is also studied. Estimating the nutrient composition of fish muscle is necessary to ensure that it meets the requirements for human health, food regulations, and commercial specifications. The species examined contained appreciable concentrations of amino acids, fatty acid content, and minerals, suggesting that the fish species could be a good source of protein, fat, and minerals. Hazardous heavy metals were found to be lower compared to their corresponding maximum tolerable limits. The order of trace metals is Zn (22,709 µg/kg) > Fe (19,878 µg/kg) > Cu (1261 µg /kg) > Mn (1228 µg/kg) > Cr (474 µg/kg) > Ni (152 µg/kg) As (318 µg /kg) > Pb (281 µg/kg) > Co (24 µg /kg) > Cd (13 µg/kg) > Hg (5 µg/kg); a number of health-related indices, including estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), and hazard index (HI), as well as carcinogenic risk (CR) indices for adult and children, were calculated to evaluate the human health hazard of the heavy metals. The THQ and HI of heavy metals for tilapia are lower than 1, posing a non-carcinogenic threat to human health due to the biomagnifications of these deadly poisonous metals. Principal component, cluster, and correlation analyses delineated the common probabilistic sources of metal contamination origin and significant inter-parameter associations. Although no human health risks for the consumption of tilapia was found, more attention must be paid for the monitoring of Oreochromis niloticus before entering the market.

Health risk assessment of heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Cd, and Hg) in water and muscle tissue of farmed carp species in North Iran

This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine and compare the concentrations of heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Cd, and Hg) in carp-farming water and muscle of various carp species including common carp (Cyprinus carpio), bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), and grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) collected from three major warm-water fish farms in Mazandaran Province (Iran) during March 2018 to March 2019. In addition, bioaccumulation of heavy metals (BCFs) and carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk assessments of consumers exposed to heavy metals through fish consumption were estimated. The water concentration of all metals in this study was lower than permissible limits. The concentration of Zn in the water (10.21-17.11 μg L^-1) was higher than that of other metals in all sites, followed by Pb > Cd > Hg. In fish muscle, Zn concentration in silver carp was the highest, and the lowest concentrations were related to Hg and Cd in common carp and grass carp, respectively. The target hazard quotients (THQ) indicated that the non-carcinogenic health risk to humans was relatively low by consuming four farmed carp species products. The carcinogenic risk of inorganic Pb was 1.24E-04 (common carp) to 2.11E-04 (grass carp) for adults, which is within the acceptable range. The values of BCFs for all metals demonstrated that farmed carp muscle could not be considered a bioaccumulative tissue for heavy metals. The results indicated that the concentrations of heavy metals in the farmed carp species in North Iran were relatively low and did not cause considerable human health risks.

Isotopic and Elemental Fingerprint of Edible Egg Parts-The Health Risk Assessment Based on Potentially Toxic Elements Content

The present study investigated the isotopic and elemental profile (by IRMS and ICP-MS) of edible egg parts (29 egg whites and 29 yolks) mainly collected from Romania. In order to differentiate the egg white and yolk coming from different hen rearing systems (backyard and barn), Partial Least Square-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) models were developed. The models' accuracies for the discrimination according to the hen growing system were 96% for egg white and 100% for egg yolk samples, respectively. Elements that proved to have the highest discrimination power for both egg white and yolk were the following: δ¹³C, Li, B, Mg, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Zn, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ba, La, Ce, and Pb. Nevertheless, the important compositional differentiation, in terms of essential mineral content, between the edible egg parts (egg white and egg yolk) were also pointed out. The estimated daily intake (EDI), the target hazard quotient (THQ) for Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Cd, Pb, and As, as well as the hazard index (HI) were used to assess non-carcinogenic human health risks from egg consumption. The obtained results showed no noticeable health risks related to egg consumption for humans from the point of view of the potentially toxic metals.

Human health risk assessment of edible body parts of chicken through heavy metals and trace elements quantitative analysis

Food safety and security have now been regarded as a significant emerging area within the food supply chain leading to scientific and public health concerns in the global world. The poultry sector is a substantial threat to heavy metal intoxication for Bangladeshi people due to contaminated drinking water and feed sources, as well as the poultry sector's surrounding environment and soil. This study was carried out to ascertain the residual concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, Cd) and trace elements (Cr, Fe, Cu, and Zn) in various edible chicken body parts (breast, liver, gizzard, heart, kidney, and brain) to observe the quality of the consumed chickens and to assess public health risk. Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) was used to check the content of toxic heavy metals and trace elements in 108 samples of 18 broiler chickens collected from six different locations of Dhaka North City Corporation markets in Bangladesh. The measured concentrations (mg/kg fresh weight) ranged from 0.33±0.2 to 4.6±0.4, 0.004±0.0 to 0.125±0.2, 0.006±0.0 to 0.94±0.4, 4.05±4.2 to 92.31±48.8, 0.67±0.006 to 4.15±2.7, and 4.45±0.62 to 23.75±4.3, for Pb, Cd, Cr, Fe, Cu, and Zn respectively. Except for Pb and Cu most of the investigated heavy metals and trace element levels in chickens were lower than the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) set by FAO/WHO and other regulatory agencies., The estimated level of Pb was nearly six times higher in the chicken brain. The estimated daily intake (EDI) values for all the studied metals were below the preliminary tolerated daily intake (PTDI). The target hazard quotient (THQ) values of the broiler chicken meat samples varied for adults and children, and the range was found to be 0.037-0.073 for Pb, 0.007-0.01 for Cd, 0.0-0.08 for Cr, 0.002-0.004 for Fe, for 0.00-0.002 Cu, and 0.004-0.008 for Zn, not exceeding the maximum level of 1 according to USEPA. The calculated THQ and total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) values were measured at less than one, suggesting that the consumption of chicken meat has no carcinogenic danger to its consumers. The Target carcinogenic risks (TCRs) of Pb, Cd, Cr, and Cu were within acceptable limits. The TCR values for children were, to some extent, higher than that of adults, which proposes that regular monitoring of both harmful and essential elements in chicken samples is necessary to determine whether or not any possible health risk to consumers exists. In terms of health, this study demonstrated that consumers are chronically exposed to elemental contamination with carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects.

Heavy metal contents in bovine tissues (kidney, liver and muscle) from Central Gondar Zone, Ethiopia

Environments prone to naturally non-biodegradable metal pollution have remained hot areas of research. Here, concentrations of Cu, Cr, Cd and Pb in 90 bovine tissue (kidney, liver and muscle) samples collected from Gondar City abattoir and Nara-Awudarda in Central Gondar Zone, Ethiopia, were investigated. The samples were dry-ashed at 550 °C for 3.45 h, mineralized with 2 mL conc. HNO₃, and analysed using flame atomic absorption spectrometer. Pattern recognition methods, viz. principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares - discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), were employed to investigate heavy metal profiles in bovine tissues and classify them based on their geographic source. Results showed that the mean concentrations of the metals (mg/kg) extended in the range: 1.5-11.5 (Cu), 0.42-1.5 (Pb), BDL-1.05 (Cr) and BDL-0.41 (Cd). The concentrations of Cu and Cd, except Cd in muscle samples from Gondar City abattoir, were below the permissible limits while Pb and Cr, except for Pb in kidney and Cr in all samples at Gondar City abattoir, were above the permissible limits. Hence, it calls for enforceable food safety monitoring practices. PCA visualizes grouping of the studied bovine tissues based on the contents of analyzed metals where liver contained highest concentrations of the studied metals, except for Cd, which was highest in kidney. PLS-DA model clearly classified the tissue samples into two clusters depending on their geographic source. In general, the accumulation burden of heavy metals exhibited tissue-specific and sample source differences, probably due to varied organ functions and environmental conditions.

Occurrence and health implications of heavy metals in preschool children's clothing manufactured in four Asian regions

Clothing may be a potential contributor to body metal burden in children. However, available information on heavy metals in children's clothing is extremely limited and the associated health risks remain poorly understood. This study investigated the concentrations of Pb, Cd, Co, Zn, Cr, As, Cu and Ni in new preschool children's clothing manufactured in four Asian regions. The children's clothing had higher levels of Ni and Cr but lower levels of Pb and Cd in comparison to the concentrations reported in other textile products. The concentrations of Cd were higher in the black clothing than those in the white and color samples. The non-cotton samples contained higher Co concentrations. The Pb concentrations in the samples manufactured in China were significantly higher than those in the other three regions. We estimated the dermal exposure doses for these metals and calculated the associated risks. The results indicated that the health risks from exposure to these metals in the children's clothing were acceptable. However, more research is required to investigate heavy metals and the associated risks in child clothing due to the increasing complexity of their materials and manufacturing processes.

Health risk assessment of heavy metals in soils and food crops from a coexist area of heavily industrialized and intensively cropping in the Chengdu Plain, Sichuan, China

Environmental pollution caused by rapid industrial activities are becoming increasingly drastic, particularly its impact on soil and plant health. The present study was conducted to investigate the heavy metal (loid) (As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn) concentrations in soils and food biomass crops and estimate the potential health risks of metals to humans via consumption of contaminated food biomass crops from Shifang, a periurban agricultural areas in the Chengdu Plain, Sichuan, China. Results revealed that the soils have been experiencing a substantial accumulation of heavy metals, especially for Cd, with a mean of 0.84 mg kg⁻¹, about six times higher than the background values, of which 98% exceeded the pollution warning threshold of the China Soil Environmental Quality Standards. A total of 78% of all the grain part failed the national food standard for Cd. No significantly positive relationships between metal levels in food biomass crops and in the corresponding soils, indicated metals enrichment in soils were not entirely reflected to crops contaminant burdens. Estimated daily intake (EDI) of all the metals except for Pb, exceeded the oral reference dose (RfD) or the minimal risk levels recommended by USEPA and ATSDR. Target hazard quotients (THQs) of all the metals except for Cd was less than one indicated that potential health risk to the local inhabitant originated mainly from Cd exposure via cereals consumption. Mitigation strategies to curtail Cd-contaminated soils and crops Cd burdens need careful tailoring to meet the needs of health and safety in this region.

Spatiotemporal variation and toxicity of trace metals in commercially important fish of the tidal Pasur River in Bangladesh

The release of toxic metals in the water creates an adverse condition for the living organisms (e.g., fish). The aim of this research was to learn more about the spatiotemporal variations and toxicity of heavy metals (As, Cr, Cd, and Pb) among fish species that are economically important (Tenualosa ilisha, Gudusia chapra, Otolithoides pama, Setipinna phasa, Mystus vittatus, Glossogobius giuris, Harpadon nehereus, Pseudapocryptes elongatus, Polynemus paradiseus, and Sillaginopsis panijus) collected from Pasur River. Heavy metal (HMs) concentrations were evaluated using the atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) technique. Most of the metals showed no significant variation spatiotemporally (p ˃ 0.05) except As and Cr showed substantial variation in terms of seasons (p ˂ 0.05). All fish species' Cr and Pb concentrations, as well as As and Cd values, were estimated to be greater than FAO/WHO tolerable concentrations, implying that these metals pose danger to humans. HM has a total hazard quotient (THQ) value in individual fish species reported to be greater than 1, whereas an individual metal, arsenic, exceeds the standard value (THQ > 1), causing a significant noncarcinogenic issue in the study region. The target hazard (TR) value for As and Pb exceeds the USEPA norm (10^-4) suggesting that long-term consumption of fish poses a chronic cancer risk to the people in the study field. According to the findings, the fish in the Pasur River are unfit for human consumption. The correlation matrix (CM) indicates that sources of metals are similar (e.g., industries, ships, agricultural inputs, etc.).

Cadmium and lead transfer factors to kale plants (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) grown in mountain agroecosystem and its risk to human health

The aim of the present study is to assess soil Cd and Pb contamination in kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) production sites in mountain agroecosystem, as well as its potential risk to human health. The study was carried out within 24 kale-production sites located in mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Soil, plant, and fertilizer samples were collected in all assessed properties. Pseudo-total and bioavailable soil Cd and Pb content and their concentration and amount accumulated in plants were analyzed. The recorded results were used to calculate the pollution index. Risks to human health associated with kale consumption were assessed by comparing the limits set by the Brazilian regulating agency and by calculating estimated daily intake (EDI), noncarcinogenic target hazard quotient (THQ), and carcinogenic risk factor (CRF). Soil Cd and Pb enrichment was observed. Inappropriate management adopted in the assessed sites and terrain slope and the intensive use of mineral (phosphate and potassium) and organic (poultry litter) fertilizers were the main factors contributing to increase soil Cd and Pb pseudo-total and bioavailability contents. Most Cd and Pb contents in leaves, in natura, exceed the maximum values set by the Brazilian regulating agency. The present EDI, THQ, and CRF results recorded for these metals were within the tolerable ranges.

Concentration, source identification, and potential human health risk assessment of heavy metals in chicken meat and egg in Bangladesh

Chicken meat and hen egg are very popular foodstuffs around the world and highly consumed as curry, fast food, processed food, etc. assuming a promising source of protein. In the present study, the concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cr, As, Hg, Mn, Fe, and Zn in nationally representative samples of chicken meat and hen egg were determined and found in the range of 0.03-2.73, 0.01-0.015, 0.025-0.67, 0.04-0.06, 0.01-0.015, 0.15-0.63, 2.50-38.6, and 1.02-19.4 mg/kg-fw, respectively. The results demonstrated that only Pb exceeded the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) for dietary food. Multivariate statistical analyses depicted that anthropogenic activities were the major source of heavy metals in the investigated foodstuffs. Human health risks associated with the dietary intake of these metals through the consumption of chicken meat and hen egg were evaluated in terms of estimated daily intake (EDI), non-carcinogenic risk of individual heavy metal by target hazard quotient (THQ), total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) for combined metals, and carcinogenic risk (CR) for lifetime exposure. The calculated values of EDI, THQ, TTHQ, and CR were below their respective permissible benchmarks indicating the safe consumption of the investigated foodstuffs with respect to heavy metal contamination.

Arsenic contamination in widely consumed Caribbean sharpnose sharks in southeastern Brazil: Baseline data and concerns regarding fisheries resources

Although shark meat is consumed worldwide, elevated arsenic (As) concentrations have been increasingly reported. The Caribbean sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon porosus) is a widely consumed fishing resource in Brazil, with scarce information on As burdens to date. Herein, commercial-sized juvenile Caribbean sharpnose sharks from Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) were assessed in this regard, presenting significantly higher hepatic As concentrations in males (8.24 ± 1.20 mg kg^-1 wet weight; n = 12) compared to females (6.59 ± 1.87 mg kg^-1 w.w.; n = 8), and a positive correlation (r = 0.74) was noted between female muscle and liver As concentrations, indicating systemic inter-tissue transport not evidenced in males. Arsenic concentrations were over the maximum permissible As limit established in Brazilian legislation for seafood and calculated Target Hazard Quotients suggest consumption risks, although cancer risks were not evidenced. Therefore, Public Health concerns with regard to Caribbean sharpnose shark As burdens deserve careful attention.

Probabilistic health risk assessment of toxic metals in chickens from the largest production areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh

Chicken is one of the major protein sources and more affordable for the population of Bangladesh. Its quality monitoring is of high priority for food safety and public health risk assessment. This study determined metals (Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Ni, Cr, Sr, Hg, and Pb) in chickens from different farms of a high production area of Dhaka, Bangladesh, using an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer to calculate the health risk through chickens consumption. In most cases, the toxic metals (As, Ni, Cr, Hg, and Pb) showed very high concentrations in different parts of chickens, especially livers that contained several times higher concentrations than the maximum allowable concentration (MAC). Analytical results showed some feed and water contain high concentrations of As and Cr that might be bioaccumulated in chicken. The estimated daily intake (EDI) for all metals was below the provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI) values except As and Fe in few farms. Target hazard quotients (THQs) for most metals were less than 1 but THQs of As and Cr of few farms were higher than 1, indicating that the consumer would possess As- and Cr-based health hazards. Total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) of 42% for composite and 36% for body parts samples were > 1, suggesting potential health risk. The probabilistic risk and individual samples cancer risk (TR) were exceeded the acceptable level (10^-4) for As and 75% of composite and 58% of body parts of chicken showed acceptable limit (10^-6 to 10^-4) for Pb, indicating that the peoples might be exposed to lifetime cancer risk in the long run.

Relative contribution of rice and fish consumption to bioaccessibility-corrected health risks for urban residents in eastern China

There are global concerns about dietary exposure to metal(loid)s in foods. However, little is known about the relative contribution of rice versus fish to multiple metal(loid) exposure for the general population, especially in Asia where rice and fish are major food sources. We compared relative contributions of rice and fish consumption to multi-metal(loid) exposure on the city-scale (Nanjing) and province-scale in China. The effects of ingestion rate, metal(loid) level, and bioaccessibility were examined to calculate modeled risk from Cu, Zn, total As (TAs), inorganic As (iAs), Se, Cd, Pb, and methylmercury (MeHg). Metal(loid) levels in rice and fish samples collected from Nanjing City were generally low, except iAs. Metal(loid) bioaccessibilities in fish were higher than those in rice, except Se. Calculated carcinogenic risks induced by iAs intake (indicated by increased lifetime cancer risk, ILCR) were above the acceptable level (1 0 ^-4) in Nanjing City (median: 3 × 10^-4 for female and 4 × 10^-4 for male) and nine provinces (1.4 × 10^-4 to 5.9 × 10^-4) in China. Rice consumption accounted for 85.0% to 99.8% of carcinogenic risk. The non-carcinogenic hazard quotients (HQ) for single metals and hazard index (HI) for multi-metal exposure were < 1 in all cases, indicating of their slight non-carcinogen health effects associated. In Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces, results showed that rice and fish intake contributed similarly to the HI (i.e., 42.6% vs 57.4% in Guangdong and 54.6% vs 45.4% in Jiangsu). Sensitivity analysis indicated that carcinogenic risk was most sensitive to rice ingestion rate and rice iAs levels, while non-carcinogenic hazard (i.e., HQ and HI) was most sensitive to ingestion rate of fish and rice, and Cu concentration in rice. Our results suggest that rice is more important than fish for human dietary metal(loid) exposure risk in China, and carcinogenic risk from iAs exposure in rice requires particular attention.

Potential toxic metals (PTMs) contamination in agricultural soils and foodstuffs with associated source identification and model uncertainty

The research aimed to find out physiochemical properties, metal concentration, sources of metals using statistical analyses, and positive matrix factorization (PMF) model using 315 soil and 250 foodstuff samples (25 species) in Jhenidah as well as Kushtia district, Bangladesh. The range of Pb, Cd, As, Cu, Ni and Cr contents (mg/kg) in soils were found to be 0.97-114.72, 0.11-7.51, 1.07-23.38, 0.89-122.91, 0.91-77.32 and 0.7-23.03 mg/kg, respectively, whereas those in foodstuff samples were found to be 0.46-11.48, 0.30-11.54, 0.47-9.21, 0.20-3.59, 0.001-1.76, and 0.27-5.93 mg/kg, respectively. PMF model revealed that Cu (81.4%) in the study area soils were predominantly contributed by vehicular fuel combustion, Cr (84.9%) was primarily of natural origin, Pb (73%) resulted from traffic emissions, Cd (74.3%), and As (63.4%) mainly came from agricultural practices while Ni (70.9%) was dominated as industrial pollution. EF > 1.5 of Cu, As, and Pb suggesting mild contamination; however, soils from all the studied sites revealed moderate potential ecological risk. Cr recorded BCF values of >1 in the majority of the examined crops, suggesting higher uptake of Cr than other metals. Cr, Ni, As, and Pb showed cancer risks from food intake and risk values were greater than the threshold range (10^-4), suggesting potential cancer risks.

Dietary risk of milk contaminated with lead and cadmium in areas near mining-metallurgical industries in the Central Andes of Peru

The mining-metallurgical industry in the central Andes of Peru is a source of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) contamination in milk, and there are no studies on the impact of their ingestion. Using flame atomic absorption spectrometry, we quantified the concentration of these metals in raw milk produced in agroecological zones near these industries, and estimated the exposure and dietary risk in people aged 2-85 yr with minimum, average and maximum daily milk intake. In 2018, 40 raw milk samples were collected from 20 cows at two times of the year. The mean Pb and Cd concentrations were 577 ± 18.2 and 18.35 ± 5.4 μg/kg, all samples exceeded the maximum limits (ML). Children aged 2-5 and 6-15 yr, with average milk consumption, had Pb weekly intakes (WI) of 2019 and 2423 μg, exceeding the risk value; values for Cd 64 and 77 μg were below the risk values. In those older than 20 years the WI for both metals are below the risk values. The Dietary Risk Coefficient (DRC) to Pb in children younger than 8 years was >3 due to higher milk consumption in relation to body weight; for children aged 9-19 years it was 1.7 and 2.9, being <1 for those older than 20 yr. Cd RDCs were <1 at all ages, with the exception of 2-year-olds in the high milk consumption scenario (RDC > 1). There was notable evidence of Pb and Cd exposure risk from consumption of milk produced near mining-metallurgical activities, predominantly for children under 19-year-olds. In Peru there are no regulations for Pb and Cd in fresh milk and milk products, we recommended that ML for heavy metals in food be established.

Accumulation of Trace Metals in Indigenous Fish Species from the Old Brahmaputra River in Bangladesh and Human Health Risk Implications

In this study, accumulation of the top six most toxic trace metals (Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Mercury (Hg), Nickel (Ni) and Lead (Pb)) were assessed in six indigenous fish species (Barilius barila, Salmostoma acinaces, Gudusia chapra, Labeo bata, Corica soborna, and Sperata aor) collected from the Old Brahmaputra River in Bangladesh. Human health risk associated with these fish consumption was also evaluated. Metals were analyzed in whole body of fish by an atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS). Mean concentrations of metals (μg/g, wet weight) were in the range of As (< 0.02-0.278), Cd (< 0.002-0.005), Cr (0.239-0.761), Hg (0.008-0.057), Ni (< 0.02-0.044), and Pb (< 0.01-0.038). The metal contents varied significantly among the fishes regarding their feeding habits and living habitats. Concentrations of As, Cr, Hg, and Pb were significantly higher in omnivorous species, whereas the benthopelagic species showed significantly higher accumulation of As (p < 0.05). The target hazard quotient (THQ) for noncarcinogenic risk and target cancer risk (TR) for carcinogenic risk were calculated to estimate the probabilities of experiencing these adverse health effects for the fish consumers. Metal-specific THQ values were all below 1 indicating no potential human health risk. Nonetheless, the hazard index (HI) values to estimate the effects from exposure to all metals collectively elucidated chronic noncarcinogenic health risk particularly from G. chapra consumption. The TR values revealed that there was carcinogenic risk from exposure to As through consumption of the fish. This study finally suggests a systematic and continuous monitoring of trace metal contamination in fishes from the river to ensure the fitness of this food item regarding the safety for human health.

Characterization and risk assessment of arsenic contamination in soil-plant (vegetable) system and its mitigation through water harvesting and organic amendment

Field experiments with vegetables [cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea)] were conducted at geogenically arsenic-contaminated Ghentugachi village in West Bengal, India, for two consecutive years to study arsenic accumulation by the selected vegetables and to explore the efficiencies of use of harvested/harnessed water and organic amendments (Mustard Cake, Vermicompost and Farm Yard Manure) in reducing arsenic load in soil-plant system. Results revealed that arsenic accumulations in the cauliflower head, spinach leaf and tomato fruit were in the range of 0.15-0.17, 2.73-3.00 and 0.08 mg kg^-1. Organic amendment and pond water irrigation when applied either separately or together were found to be effective in reducing arsenic contamination in soil-plant system compared to irrigation with shallow tube well-drafted underground water. Vermicompost remained most successful among the organic amendments. Conjunctive use of surface (pond) and ground water also significantly reduced the level of arsenic in the system. The risk of dietary intake of arsenic through the selected vegetables was computed through % Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake, Hazard Quotient and Target Cancer Risk. Cauliflower and tomato were found safe in the individual contribution to food chain, while consumption of spinach leaf (possessing 10.4-22.6% more arsenic than maximum tolerable limits) remained unsafe in all dietary risk measures.

Arsenic toxicity in livestock growing in arsenic endemic and control sites of West Bengal: risk for human and environment

The present study aims to estimate geochemical arsenic toxicity in the domestic livestock and possible risk for human and environment caused by them. Daily dietary arsenic intake of an exposed adult cow or bull is nearly 4.56 times higher than control populace and about 3.65 times higher than exposed goats. Arsenic toxicity is well exhibited in all the biomarkers through different statistical interpretations. Arsenic bioconcentration is faster through water compared to paddy straw and mostly manifested in faeces and tail hair in cattle. Cow dung and tail hair are the most pronounced pathways of arsenic biotransformation into environment. A considerable amount of arsenic has been observed in animal proteins such as cow milk, boiled egg yolk, albumen, liver and meat from the exposed livestock. Cow milk arsenic is mostly accumulated in casein (83%) due to the presence of phosphoserine units. SAMOE-risk thermometer, calculated for the most regularly consumed foodstuffs in the area, shows the human health risk in a distinct order: drinking water > rice grain > cow milk > chicken > egg > mutton ranging from class 5 to 1. USEPA health risk assessment model reveals more risk in adults than in children, subsisting severe cancer risk from the foodstuffs where the edible animal proteins cannot be ignored. Therefore, the domestic livestock should be urgently treated with surface water, while provision of both arsenic-free drinking water and nutritional supplements is mandatory for the affected human population to overcome the severe arsenic crisis situation.

Toxic Metals in Broccoli by Combined Use of Acidity Correctives and Poultry Litter Under Mountain Tropical Conditions

The current study was developed to evaluate agronomic efficiency and food security of isolated or simultaneous use of two residues-steel slag and fresh or composted poultry litter-in the cultivation of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica). The composition and contribution of toxic and potentially toxic metals by different treatments and contents, translocation, and accumulation of Pb, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn in different plant organs were analyzed. Then, risks to human health associated with consumption of inflorescences were based on the indices of estimated daily intake, noncarcinogenic target hazard quotient, total hazard index (THI), and carcinogenic risk factor (CR), considering adults and children. Steel slag was similar to limestone in terms of the corrective effect of acidity and, despite containing toxic metals, it did not contribute to their higher translocation to inflorescences. Composting favored the concentrations of Pb, Cu, and Zn in poultry litter. The combined use of steel slag and fresh poultry litter and, mainly, composted poultry litter, favored absorption and translocation of Pb for inflorescences, that is, 60.37% and 66.13% of all Pb absorbed, respectively. Consumption of inflorescences from these treatments resulted in the critical THI values of 1.03 and 1.52, respectively, with Pb and Cd being the metals that mostly contributed to the risk. The registered CR was higher than the threshold level of 10^-6. The use of steel slag associated with poultry litter favors contamination of broccoli inflorescences and increases risks to human health due to their consumption.

Study of nitrate levels in fruits and vegetables to assess the potential health risks in Bangladesh

Nitrate is a chemical compound naturally present in fruits and vegetables. This study aims at assessing the nitrate levels and health risks arising from high consumption of fruits and vegetables in Bangladesh. Sixteen species of fruits and vegetables were examined for nitrates using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Photo Diode Array (PDA) detector. Ward's hierarchical cluster analysis was carried out to identify the cluster of tested fruits and vegetables for the nitrate contents. A point estimate of the daily intake was applied to find the health risks that arise due to elevated levels of nitrate in fruits and vegetables. The results show that root and tuber vegetables accumulate significantly higher levels of nitrate in comparison to fruits and fruit vegetables (P < 0.05). In cluster analysis, the nitrate accumulation of fruits and vegetables show four clear clusters contributing to 29.54%, 7.17%, 4.42%, and 58.57% of the total nitrate content in the entire sample. The risk assessment of the Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) and Health Risk Index (HRI) of almost all the tested samples was in the acceptable range, except for radish, thereby indicating the acceptance of risk due to nitrate intake in Bangladesh. As nitrate may have had risk factor for health, during cultivation and storing the product should be properly monitored.

Evaluation of bioavailability of trace metals through bioindicators in a urbanized estuarine system in southeast Brazil

The mussel Perna perna is one of the most used bioindicators of coastal areas and the most economically exploited species in Brazil through mariculture. In the present study, P. perna was used to investigate metal pollution in the estuarine area of Vitória Bay. Four sampling sites were located along an estuarine branch of Vitória Bay and stations were sampled during three campaigns. Trace metals in the tissues of P. perna were evaluated as well as dissolved trace metals and other ancillary variables in the water column. Dissolved Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, and Fe concentrations surpassed the tolerance limits stablished by legislation in all the sampling campaigns. P. perna exhibited concentrations in disagreement with the Brazilian legislation for Cr and As. A general trend of higher concentrations in outer stations was observed for most metals, what suggested the occurrence of flocculation process in the lower estuary, reducing the concentrations of dissolved elements and increasing their bioavailability for the biota through the particulate form. Cd was highlighted with elevated concentrations in dissolved fraction but not detected in P. perna, probably due to chlor-complex formation under influence of more saline waters. Al, Ba, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr, Pb, and As were considered bioavailable, once they were accumulated in the mussels' tissues. Hazard index (HI) and target cancer risk (TCR) showed that the consumption of mussels from the study area offers health risk issues, being iron and arsenic the main contributors for the high indexes.

The occurrence of eleven elements in dairy cow´s milk, feed, and soil from three different regions of Slovakia

The objective of this study was to measure the concentrations of eleven essential, potentially toxic and toxic elements (arsenic – As, calcium – Ca, cadmium – Cd, copper – Cu, iron – Fe, mercury – Hg, magnesium – Mg, nickel – Ni, lead – Pb, selenium – Se, zinc- Zn) in raw cow’s milk (spring, summer, and autumn season), feed (spring and autumn season) and soil (spring season) from three different environments by routine methods in the certified testing laboratory. The samples were collected in the undisturbed region around Novoť, the moderately disturbed region around Tulčík, and the strongly disturbed region around Čečejovce. The concentrations of all toxic elements (As, Cd, Hg, Ni, Pb) and two essential elements (Cu, Se) in milk were under the limits of quantification (LOQ) from all investigated areas and during all seasons. Concentrations of other elements in milk from the undisturbed and disturbed areas were significantly different, generally with the highest levels in summer. In soil samples, the significantly highest concentrations of Ca, Cu, Ni were found in a strongly disturbed area, Mg and As in moderately disturbed area, and Fe, Se, Zn, Hg, and Pb in an undisturbed area. Cadmium was under the LOQ. In feed, the concentrations of essential elements, except of Se, were higher in the autumn. The significantly highest concentration of As, Ni were recorded in a moderately disturbed area and Pb in the undisturbed area in both seasons. Cadmium and Hg were under the LOQ. Despite the higher level of some elements in soil (Fe, Mg, Ca) from all regions, there were not elevated concentrations of any element in feed or milk. The concentrations of all toxic elements in milk were under the permitted limits. Thus, the milk from all investigated areas was not contaminated with the elements posing a health risk for consumers and it is considered safe for human consumption.

Heavy metal accumulation and health risk assessment of crayfish collected from cultivated and uncultivated ponds in the Middle Reach of Yangtze River

Crayfish, an aquatic food consumed globally, has been reported to accumulate heavy metal. To assess the health risk to the crayfish-consuming population, we investigated heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cd, Cr, Ba, and As) in crayfish tissues (exoskeleton, abdominal muscle, gills, and hepatopancreas) and sediments from uncultivated and cultivated ponds in the middle reach of the Yangtze River. The metals, except for As, were measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and As was measured by atomic fluorescence spectrometry. The distribution of heavy metals differed significantly among tissues and concentrations were generally highest in the hepatopancreas. The average concentrations of heavy metals were higher in crayfish from uncultivated ponds than in crayfish from cultivated ponds. Heavy metal concentrations in crayfish correlated positively with sediment concentrations in uncultivated ponds, indicating that heavy metals can accumulate in crayfish. However, this positive correlation between sediment concentration and crayfish concentration was not observed in cultivated ponds. Source identification, using correlation analysis, indicated that heavy metals in the sediments derive from transportation and agriculture. Based on correlations between heavy metal concentration and body weight, and data on metal distribution in organs, heavy metals accumulate in the hepatopancreas of crayfish in uncultivated ponds, but not in cultivated ponds. Heavy metal concentrations were somewhat higher in female crayfish than in male crayfish and the difference was significant for Fe and Pb. The target hazard quotient (THQ) was used to evaluate non-carcinogenic health risk, with THQ < 1 considered to be safe. All THQ values were < 1, except for Cu in the hepatopancreas (THQ = 1.38) of cultured crayfish and Pb (THQ = 1.01) and Cd (THQ = 1.69) in the hepatopancreas of wild crayfish. Thus, the health risk posed by consuming crayfish, particularly cultured crayfish is low. Our research was designed to protect food safety and the results indicate that the health risk posed by heavy metals in crayfish is low.

Accumulation of trace elements in selected fish and shellfish species from the largest natural carp fish breeding basin in Asia: a probabilistic human health risk implication

Intake of fish contaminated with non-essential hazardous trace elements poses a significant risk to human health. In this study, trace elements (As, Pb, Cd, Cu, Ni, and Zn) were measured in edible tissues of seven commercially important fish and shellfish species (Otolithoides pama, Pseudapocryptes elongatus, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, Liza parse, Notropis atherinoides, Apocryptes bato, and Rhinomugil corsula) from a natural carp breeding basin, Halda river, Bangladesh. The elements were detected by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and the hierarchy of elemental levels (mg/kg) was Zn (61.56) > Pb (30.45) > Ni (26.81) > Cu (21.09) > As (1.49) > Cd (0.24). Among the analyzed elements, Pb, Ni, and Zn for some fish species exceeded the permissible dietary limit, suggested by national and international agencies. In addition, results of bioaccumulation factor (BAF) indicated that most of the studied species were bioaccumulative in nature (BAFs > 1000), and the mean BAF of elements were found in the following order: Zn (3156.74) > Ni (1629.30) > Cu (1566.77) > As (997.14) > Pb (259.98) > Cd (216.52). However, the species, L. parse being omnivorous represented the highest BAF (stored higher concentrations of metals) as compared to other species. The growth pattern of all the species was negatively allometric, and the health condition of the species varied from poor to good state revealed from the estimated Fulton's condition factor (FC). For the evaluation of health hazards, estimated weekly (EWI), target hazard quotient (THQ), and carcinogenic risk (CR) were calculated for both adults and children. Results of EWI showed As, Pb, and Ni surpassed provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI)-recommended guidelines. The non-carcinogenic health effect (TTHQ) might not appear for both types of consumers (as TTHQ < 1), and CRs of all consumers were also in acceptable range (10^-6 to 10^-4). However, the probabilistic distribution through Monte Carlo simulation revealed that children were more vulnerable to non-carcinogenic (67.3%) and carcinogenic risk effect (47.3%) for Pb. Meanwhile, adults obtained the probability of 0.7% and 36% for THQ and CR effect, respectively, interpreting less vulnerable.

Assessment of potential human health risk of trace element in wild edible mushroom species collected from Yunnan Province, China

Wild edible mushrooms are rich in nutritions and popular among people, but wild edible mushrooms easily accumulate potentially harmful trace elements, and excessive intake will harm health. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential health hazards of long-term intake of wild edible mushrooms in Yunnan Province, China. The concentrations of trace element (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Ni, and Zn) in 19 species of wild edible mushrooms in Yunnan Province were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Further processing of the data, the potential health risk assessments of consumers were evaluated by the target hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI), and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR), respectively. Results showed that concentrations of trace element in wild edible mushrooms decreased in the order of Zn > Cu > As > Ni > Cr > Cd > Pb > Hg. Compared with the maximum standard by the WHO/China, the averages of As, Cd, Cr, Hg, and Zn were significantly greater than the standard. Among the tested wild edible mushrooms, HI values of Leccinum crocipodium, Thelephora ganbajun, Lactarius luteolus, Tricholoma matsutake, and Polyporus ellisii were more than 1. Thus, Leccinum crocipodium, Thelephora ganbajun, Lactarius luteolus, Tricholoma matsutake, and Polyporus ellisii are the main sources of risk. The value of THQ in ascending order was as follows: Pb (0.11) < Cd (0.75) < As (4.27) < Hg (6.87). Thus, Hg are the primary sources of health risk in the wild edible mushrooms in Yunnan Province. ILCR_(As) values of Thelephora ganbajun, Tricholoma matsutake, Laccaria amethystea, and Polyporus ellisii were more than 10^-4, these four samples are the primary sources of health risk. The mean values of ILCR for As in wild mushroom were 1.01 × 10^-4. The results suggest that there was potential health risk to the consumer associated with the long-term consumption of wild edible mushrooms collected from Yunnan Province. We propose that the concentrations of trace element should be periodically monitored in wild edible mushrooms.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of lead and cadmium concentrations in cow milk in Iran and human health risk assessment

The aim of the current research was to systematically review and summarize the studies that evaluated the concentration of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in cow milk in different regions of Iran and to perform a meta-analysis of the findings. Moreover, the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks of Pb and Cd through milk consumption in adult and child consumers were assessed. As a result of a systematic search in the international and national databases between January 2008 and October 2018, 17 reports involving 1874 samples were incorporated in our study for meta-analysis. The pooled concentrations of Pb and Cd were estimated to be 13.95 μg mL^-1 (95% CI 9.72-18.11 μg mL^-1) and 3.55 μg mL^-1 (95% CI - 2.38-9.48 μg mL^-1), respectively, which were lower than the WHO/FAO and national standard limits. The estimated weekly intake (EWI) of Pb and Cd through consuming milk was 16.65 and 7 μg day^-1 for adults of 70 kg and 45 and 34 μg day^-1 for children of 26 kg, respectively, which was well below the risk values set by Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). The maximum target hazard quotient values (THQs) of Pb and Cd were 5.55E-5 and 5.55E-5 for adults and 5.55E-5 and 5.55E-5 for children, respectively, which were lower than 1 value, suggesting that Iranian consumers are not exposed to non-carcinogenic risk through consuming milk. Moreover, the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) of Pb estimated to be 2.96E-04 in adults and 1.0E-03 in children, indicating that consumers in Iran are at threshold carcinogenic risk of Pb through consuming milk (ILCR > 10^-4). Therefore, planning and policy making for the sustainable reduction of these toxic metals in milk, particularly in industrial regions of Iran, are crucial.