Daily intake of total and inorganic arsenic, lead, and aluminum of the Japanese: Duplicate diet study

Abstract

Daily intakes of total (TAs) and inorganic arsenic (iAs), lead (Pb) and aluminum (Al) of the Japanese were estimated by the analysis of duplicated diet samples. The samples were collected for 3 consecutive days from 319 subjects (total number: 949) living in Japan during 2006–2010 by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan. TAs, Pb and Al concentrations in duplicated diet samples, determined by ICP mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) preceded by a microwave acid digestion, and iAs was by liquid chromatography-ICP-MS preceded by an acidic extraction, were used for this study. Median 3-days average intake was calculated to be 2.31, 0.260, 0.0928, and 41.1 μg/kg/day, for TAs, iAs, Pb and Al, respectively (138, 15.3, 5.40, and 2363 μg/person/day). The daily intake levels were found to vary according to subjects’ gender (TAs, Pb, and Al), but this was explained by variation in the amount of daily food consumption. Daily TAs intake was found to vary with age grade, districts where community is located and types (urban/farming/fishing) of community, probably reflecting fish/seaweed consumption.