Concentrations of cadmium, lead, mercury and arsenic in Chinese market milled rice and associated population health risk

Abstract

A survey of the levels of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) such as cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As) in milled rice sold on the Chinese market was carried out in 2005–2008. The mean levels found were as follows: Cd, 0.05 mg/kg; Pb, 0.062 mg/kg; Hg, 0.0058 mg/kg; total As, 0.119 mg/kg. In combination of recent rice consumption data, the estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of these PTEs were calculated for eight age–sex categories of Chinese population using a probabilistic method. The target hazard quotients (THQs) and hazard index (HI) were calculated to evaluate the non-carcinogenic health risk from individual and combined PTEs due to rice consumption. THQs of individual element for Chinese population were all less than one, indicating that health risk associated with the intake of a single element through consumption of rice was absent. However, consumption of the combined metals would lead to potential health risks for high-exposed children, since the HI values for four age categories of children (2–14 years) based on the 97.5th percentile estimate through rice consumption were 1.216–1.677.