Abstract
Trace metal contamination is a global health issue. This study evaluated boxed and loose-leaf tea from Bangladesh using a Handheld X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer for lead and other metals to rapidly screen tea as a potential hot spot of heavy metal exposure. Of the 33 elements measured, several priority pollutants were below the limit of detection (LOD) in all samples, including lead (LOD 2.17 mg/kg) and arsenic (LOD 1.68 mg/kg). Loose-leaf tea samples had higher copper (1.5-fold), zinc (1.3-fold), and manganese (1.8-fold) concentrations compared to boxed tea. Estimated daily intake (EDI) of lead from tea was calculated using three assumed extractability levels, 20%, 50%, and 100%, and assuming the lead concentration was at the LOD. The EDI for lead ranged from 0.008 µg/kg/bw day to 0.041 µg/kg/bw for adult males and 0.010 µg/kg/bw day to 0.049 µg/kg/bw day for adult females. Based on these tested samples, tea is not likely a primary source of lead exposure in the two sampled areas, Sirajdikhan and Pabna. Future research can evaluate potential processing steps for why some metals were higher in loose-leaf tea compared to boxed tea, including copper, zinc, and manganese. Other potential lead sources could be tested in the tea preparation process, including water sources and dishware used to prepare and consume the tea.
Highlights
Trace metal contamination of food and water is a global public health issue.1,2,3 In southeast Asia, metal contamination has been reported in several foods, including vegetables, fish, milk, and tea leaves.4,5,6 Some of the reported levels were several times above international guidelines
The concentrations found in this study, all below a limit of detection (LOD) of 2.17 mg/kg, are similar to the reported lead concentrations of 0.4439 and 0.3440 mg/kg found in tea leaves in previous studies
While it cannot be assumed that there are no health effects at levels below the LOD for a handheld X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), this study found that the tea samples do not appear to be hot spots of Priority Pollutant metal concentration in the sampling locations
Summary
Trace metal contamination of food and water is a global public health issue. In southeast Asia, metal contamination has been reported in several foods, including vegetables, fish, milk, and tea leaves. Some of the reported levels were several times above international guidelines. In southeast Asia, metal contamination has been reported in several foods, including vegetables, fish, milk, and tea leaves.. In Bangladesh, possible food contamination with lead is an important public health research question. Spices, such as turmeric, Amber Wolf graduated magna cum laude from Duke University in May 2020, where she double majored in Global Health and Music with a concentration in piano performance. She will matriculate to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in August 2020
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