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

Abstract

This study was designed to estimate the dietary intake of total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, cadmium, mercury, sodium, and potassium by the general adult population (aged 18–65) of Valdivia, Chile. Calculations were based on a 24-h dietary recall survey. The highest dietary intake of t-As (73.0 μg/day), i-As (20.0 μg/day), Cd (18.0 μg/day), Hg (5.8 μg/day), Na+ (3112.8 mg/day), and K+ (2077.5 mg/day) were for 70-kg adults.Estimating carcinogenic risk (CR > 4 × 10−4) due to exposure to i-As indicated that consumers remain at low risk for cancer. The cumulative health risk was evaluated by summing the target hazard quotient of cadmium (0.26) mercury (0.27) and inorganic arsenic (0.96); this calculation allows us to express the total target hazard quotient as 1.50 where a value > 1 indicates that there is a potential health risk for the population. Total intake of Cd and Hg were therefore within the limits estimated as being safe whereas Na+ and K+ intake for the Valdivia population did not follow the recommended values established by the World Health Organization (WHO). The Na+ intake exceeded the daily recommended intake while K+ intake was lower than the daily recommended intake. This indicates a health risk for the Valdivia population.