Health Risk Assessment and Source Apportionment of Mercury, Lead, Cadmium, Selenium, and Manganese in Japanese Women: An Adjunct Study to the Japan Environment and Children's Study.

Chaochen Ma,Yukiko Nishihama,Tomohiko Isobe,Nozomi Tatsuta,Kunihiko Nakai,Miyuki Iwai-Shimada,Mai Takagi,Shoji F Nakayama

doi:10.3390/ijerph17072231

Abstract

Toxic element pollution is a serious global health concern that has been attracting considerable research. In this study, we elucidated the major routes of exposure to three toxic elements (mercury, cadmium, and lead) and two essential elements (manganese and selenium) through diet, soil, house dust, and indoor air and assessed the potential health risks from these elements on women from the coastal area of Miyagi prefecture, Japan. Twenty-four-hour duplicate diet, house dust, soil, and indoor air samples were collected from 37 participants. Cd, Pb, Mn, and Se concentrations were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and Hg concentrations using cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. We found that soil and house dust were the primary reservoirs of these elements. Diet contributed most strongly to the daily intake of these elements, with mean values of 0.72, 0.25, 0.054, 47, and 0.94 μg/kg/day for Hg, Cd, Pb, Mn, and Se, respectively. The mean hazard quotient of Hg was 1.53, indicating a high potential health risk from Hg exposure in daily lives. The intakes of other elements were below the tolerable limits. Future studies with a larger sample size are warranted to confirm our findings.

Highlights

Toxic metals are naturally occurring ubiquitous substances in the environment that can be released through natural means and primarily through anthropological activities [1,2]
This survey was conducted as an adjunct study of the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS)
Compared with previous dietary studies, the estimated daily intake (EDI) of Hg from diet in our study was lower than that reported in studies conducted in China (0.09 μg/kg/day) [31], but higher than those reported in Chile

Summary

Introduction

Toxic metals are naturally occurring ubiquitous substances in the environment that can be released through natural means (e.g., atmospheric deposition and weathering of parent materials) and primarily through anthropological activities (e.g., wastewater irrigation, vehicular exhaust, and solid waste disposal) [1,2]. Essential metals are the necessary nutrients that participate in crucial physiological and biological functions at extremely low concentrations. Manganese (Mn) is required for normal brain functioning, bone health, and several enzymatic functions [3], and selenium (Se) supplementation has beneficial effects on the risk of lung and prostate cancer [4,5]. Supplementation confers benefits only if the nutrient intake is inadequate. Excess Mn consumption could cause neurodegenerative diseases [6], and Se supplementation in those with adequate Se intake could increase the risk of type 2 diabetes [7]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion