Consumption of foods contaminated with heavy metals and their association with cardiovascular disease (CVD) using GAM software (cohort study)

Relationships of the serum levels of toxic trace elements in pregnant women versus exposure to second-hand smoke

Tobacco smoke contains many toxic heavy metals that cause adverse effects in humans. The association between second-hand smoke (SHS) and the toxic metals accumulated in pregnant women are still unclear. We measured trace element levels in the sera of pregnant women exposed to SHS and compared the data to those of unexposed pregnant women. Moreover, the data were contrasted with the anthropometric measurements (birth weight, birth length, and head circumference) of their newborn babies after delivery. Two groups of pregnant women were voluntarily recruited, and their blood samples were collected. Then, ten trace elements were measured in their sera, and the data were statistically analyzed using R version 4.0.3 software. The serum trace elements in the smoking subjects were higher than those of the non-smokers, but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The SHS had adverse effects on some trace elements on the smokers' sera. The concentrations of Cr and Ni in mothers exposed to SHS (32.85-51.25) were significantly higher than those in the mothers unexposed to SHS (28.26-44.80; p < 0.05). The study found that some trace elements significantly affected the anthropometric measurements of infants born to mothers who were exposed to SHS (p < 0.05). Exposure of pregnant women to cigarette smoke had adverse effects on their newborns' body weights. The mothers who smoked had babies with lower weights. Also, the exposure to cigarette smoke might have caused some of the disorders during their pregnancy.

The effect of consuming bread contaminated with heavy metals on cardiovascular disease and calculating its risk assessment

Heavy metals (HMs) may cause the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which results in oxidative stress and eventually leads to an increase in cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The Hoveyzeh Cohort Study Center provided clinical data for cardiovascular cases. The collection of samples was done randomly. The association between CVD and HMs has been evaluated utilizing seven machine-learning techniques. The results showed that the effect coefficient (β) of bread consumption in the incidence of heart disease is 4.6908 × 10-02. Consumption of bread contaminated with chromium (P value < 0.0217), cadmium (P value < 2.95 × 10-6) and arsenic (P value < 1.15 × 10-07) is significantly related to cardiovascular incidence. Each unit of bread consumption increases As intake by 0.494 (β = 4.940 × 10-01) and CVD incidence by 11.9% (OR = 1.1190). Bread consumption increases Cd intake by 0.479 (β = 4.799 × 10-1) and cardiovascular disease incidence by 11.97% (OR = 1.1197) per unit. The findings indicated that bread intake in the study region is not correlated with non-carcinogenic or carcinogenic risks, since the cancer risk and incremental lifetime cancer risk for both groups were below 1*10^-6. In the present investigation, bread had HMs included As, Cd, Cr, and Pb higher than the limit declared by WHO. The results of the present study showed that bread is a mediating factor (between HMs and the incidence of CVD).

Environmental Pollutants as Emerging Concerns for Cardiac Diseases: A Review on Their Impacts on Cardiac Health

Comorbidities related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and environmental pollution have emerged as serious concerns. The exposome concept underscores the cumulative impact of environmental factors, including climate change, air pollution, chemicals like PFAS, and heavy metals, on cardiovascular health. Chronic exposure to these pollutants contributes to inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelial dysfunction, further exacerbating the global burden of CVDs. Specifically, carbon monoxide (CO), ozone, particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), heavy metals, pesticides, and micro- and nanoplastics have been implicated in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality through various mechanisms. PM2.5 exposure leads to inflammation and metabolic disruptions. Ozone and CO exposure induce oxidative stress and vascular dysfunction. NO2 exposure contributes to cardiac remodeling and acute cardiovascular events, and sulfur dioxide and heavy metals exacerbate oxidative stress and cellular damage. Pesticides and microplastics pose emerging risks linked to inflammation and cardiovascular tissue damage. Monitoring and risk assessment play a crucial role in identifying vulnerable populations and assessing pollutant impacts, considering factors like age, gender, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle disorders. This review explores the impact of cardiovascular disease, discussing risk-assessment methods, intervention strategies, and the challenges clinicians face in addressing pollutant-induced cardiovascular diseases. It calls for stronger regulatory policies, public health interventions, and green urban planning.

Correlates of Food Contamination by Heavy Metals in Northwest Nigeria

Background

The increasing cases of chronic kidney disease is a global public health concern. The potential link between consumption of food contaminated with heavy metals and development of end stage renal disease is becoming an emerging challenge. This study aimed to identify heavy metal contaminants in food and environmental risk factors for development of chronic kidney disease in Nigeria.

Methods

Cross-sectional survey in 4 high burden local government areas of Jigawa state, northwest Nigeria.

Results

The median age of the respondents was 45 years (interquartile range = 30-80) years. All the households had normal values of cadmium in the food analyzed. The majority of households (97.8%) had elevated mercury levels in analyzed food. Approximately 4.2% of households had increased lead levels. Elevated mercury levels were significantly higher in households that did not cultivate the food they consumed (median = 2.503 mg/kg, P = .05), those that did not use fertilizer on their farms (median = 2.522 mg/kg, P = .02), and those whose farms were located outside their communities (median = 2.733 mg/kg, P = .020). Households that did not use fertilizer on the farm (median = 0.027 mg/kg, P = .007), and those that primarily consumed rice (median = 0.023 mg/kg, P = .005) had significantly higher lead concentrations.

Conclusions

We identified high levels of mercury in food samples of the majority of the households studied. Elevated levels of mercury were associated with food cultivation practices and fertilizer use. We recommend future studies that will identify points of food contamination and inform the development of appropriate environmental remediation measures.

Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks caused by rice contamination with heavy metals and their effect on the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (Using machine learning)

INTRODUCTION

The safety and health of food products are essential in the food industry, and the risk of contamination from various contaminants must be evaluated. Exposure to HMs from the environment (especially food) causes various adverse effects on the body and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Volunteers in the study comprised both healthy individuals and those with CVD. Patients were chosen using a cohort database of CVD individuals. A random choice of samples was conducted. Medical information (individuals with CVD) related to the participants was obtained from the Hoveyzeh Cohort Study Center. CVD-HM relationships were assessed using various machine-learning techniques.

RESULT

Based on the results of the GAM statistics approach, the baseline levels (β) of As, Cd, and Cr in rice have been calculated to be 1.05, 1.19, and 1.11, respectively. Based on the investigation's results, rice acts as a mediator between high-magnitude actions and the prevalence of CVD. Eating rice increases the probability of CVD by 0.18 and raises As eating by 0.494. The results showed that rice consumption in the research area is not associated with non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk (CRs and ILCRs for both categories were less than 1∗10-6).

CONCLUSION

There was neither a carcinogenic nor non-carcinogenic threat to adults or children and many hazardous HMs existed at the accepted thresholds. A notable relationship was seen between rice contaminated with HM and CVD.

Food contamination and cardiovascular disease: a narrative review

Cardiovascular disease is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among non-communicable diseases worldwide. Evidence shows that a healthy dietary pattern positively influences many risk factors of cardiometabolic health, stroke, and heart disease, supported by the effectiveness of healthy diet and lifestyles for the prevention of CVD. High quality and safety of foods are prerequisites to ensuring food security and beneficial effects. Contaminants can be present in foods mainly because of contamination from environmental sources (water, air, or soil pollution), or artificially introduced by the human. Moreover, the cross-contamination or formation during food processing, food packaging, presence or contamination by natural toxins, or use of unapproved food additives and adulterants. Numerous studies reported the association between food contaminants and cardiovascular risk by demonstrating that (1) the cross-contamination or artificial sweeteners, additives, and adulterants in food processing can be the cause of the risk for major adverse cardiovascular events and (2) environmental factors, such as heavy metals and chemical products can be also significant contributors to food contamination with a negative impact on cardiovascular systems. Furthermore, oxidative stress can be a common mechanism that mediates food contamination-associated CVDs as substantiated by studies showing impaired oxidative stress biomarkers after exposure to food contaminants.This narrative review summarizes the data suggesting how food contaminants may elicit artery injury and proposing oxidative stress as a mediator of cardiovascular damage.

The concentration of phthalates in drinking water in Iran: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PAE and PC polymers, such as BPA, are utilized to make water bottles. Due to the lack of polymer-chemical interaction, PAE can enter drinking bottles during production, wrapping, and keeping. Phthalates can transfer from the bottle to the water depending on keeping conditions (temperature, time, sunlight intensity), pH, and bottle capacity. Since there haven't been previous studies published on the subject, the aim of this meta-analysis and systematic review research is to determine the level of phthalates in drinking water consumed in Iranian cities. Web of Science, Science of Direct, Scopus, and PubMed, databases have been used in this study. Eight studies were selected from 556 initial publications after screening for duplication and irrelevant information. Articles from January 1, 2000, to February 10, 2024, were found in the mentioned databases. Among the types of phthalates, the concentration of DEHP was reported higher than the others Because its concentration has been reported in seven out of eight studies. The highest concentration of DEHP was reported by Mehraie(2.22 µg/l), Zare Jeddi (0.8 µg/l), Yousefi (0.77 µg/l), Abtahi (0.76 µg/l), Zare Jeddi (0.42 µg/l), Abdolahnejad(0.15 µg/l), and Pourzamani (0.08 µg/l). The highest concentration of DEP, DBP, BBP, and PA was reported by Abtahi (0.77 µg/l) and Esteki (2.25 µg/l), Mehraie(0.93 µg/l), and Pourzamani (0.83 µg/l). The results of this study showed that the most important phthalates measured in drinking water include DEP, DEHP, DBP, BBP, and PA. According to the results of the present studies, the most important factor in the increase of phthalates is the storage conditions of drinking water (temperature, sunlight, and the type of pipe or bottle).

Health risk assessment for consuming rice, bread, and vegetables in Hoveyzeh city

Introduction

People are continuously exposed to contamination, which mainly consists of heavy metals (HMs) and organic compounds. Several metals can get into grains, veggies, and bread through various methods. We estimated the health risk of HM exposure from the consumption of bread, veggies, and rice, considering the per capita amounts of these foods in the Iranian food basket, especially in Hoveyzeh and Azadegan Plain.

Material and method

The food products analyzed for the assessment of HMs include different veggies, rice, and bread. The health risk assessment was done with the Hazard Quotient and cancer risk formulae. The buying of vegetables, rice, and bread was done in random order during the fall and wintertime seasons.

Result

Tarom rice has the maximum reported levels of Cd (0.55 mg/kg), but Pakistani rice has the lowest level (0.18 mg/kg). Radish shows the highest concentrations of As, Pb, Cr, and Ni among vegetation, while Cress shows the lowest level. The study findings showed that Lavash bread had the highest levels of As (1.31 mg/kg), Cd (0.2 mg/kg), and Ni (1.2 mg/kg), whereas it indicated the lowest level of Cr (0.056 mg/kg). While the non-carcinogenic risk of HMs was evaluated between two groups of adults and children, both groups' HI and HQ levels were less than 1. The maximum HQ and HI scores for children were associated with Arsenic (As), specifically 0.0127 and 0.0137 for Tarom rice, respectively. Nevertheless, the highest HQ and HI scores for adults were associated with As, namely 0.0059 and 0.0064 for Tarom rice, respectively.

Conclusion

The evaluation of the carcinogenic risk caused by HM exposure in kids and adults showed that both groups' accumulated lifetime CRs and ILCRs were lower than 1*10-6. Hence, the consumption of veggies, rice, and bread within the study's area does not show an association with the occurrence of chronic diseases resulting from hazardous HMs.

Exposure to Mercury in the Air and Its Effect on Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD): A Systematic Review

Background

We aimed to verify the exposure to mercury in the air and its effect on cardiovascular disorders.

Methods

The review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and national databases (such as SID) from 1995-2022.

Results

Mercury exposure can cause many disorders in humans, including neurodevelopmental disorders in fetuses and children, adverse cardiovascular outcomes, hypertension, and diabetes. Mercury is a human neurotoxin, and in recent years its potentially harmful effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) have raised concerns, mainly due to mercury's role in reducing oxidative stress.

Conclusion

Possible mechanisms of mercury toxicity in CVD include mercury-selenium interaction, increased lipid peroxidation, and oxidative stress. In this article, we review studies that have investigated the relationship between mercury and CVD.