Lead Intake Research Articles

Dietary exposure to metals/metalloids and persistent organic pollutants in Spanish preschool and primary school children

Diet is a primary source of pollutant exposure. Given children's vulnerability to their effects, this study assessed dietary intake of metals/metalloids and different persistent organic pollutants in children in Tarragona (Spain), compared it with the health-based guideline values (HBGV), and identified the main dietary sources. The analysis included 533 preschoolers and 443 primary school children from the EPINED and ECLIPSES studies. Dietary intake of cadmium (Cd), methylmercury (MeHg), lead (Pb), inorganic arsenic (inAs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs), and non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (NDL-PCBs) was estimated using validated food frequency questionnaires and a database from the Catalan Agency for Food Safety. Preschoolers and primary school children exceeded the relevant reference value for InAs and DL-PCBs. Only preschoolers exceeded the limit for MeHg and PCDD/Fs. Cd, Pb, and NDL-PCBs intakes did not exceed the limits in either age group. Salted cereals/potatoes were the main source of InAs; fish for MeHg and DL-PCBs; and milk/yogurt for PCDD/Fs, followed by white fish in preschoolers and fatty fish in primary school children. The findings highlight that dietary exposure to some pollutants poses a significant risk to these children, emphasizing the need for public health policies to reduce pollutants in their diets.

Lead Contamination in Pangasius Djambal in the Dam of Kalitidu District, Bojonegoro District: An Environmental Health Risk Study

Introduction: One of the areas passed by the Bengawan Solo River is Bojonegoro. Many Bojonegoro people find fish at the point of Bendung Gerak, Ngringinrejo Village. One of the fish that is often caught is Pangasius djambal. At this location, the dominant waste contamination comes from agricultural and domestic waste. Lead can contaminate water and enter through the food chain in fish which are later eaten by humans. The purpose of this study was to analyze the environmental health risk of lead (Pb) content in Pangasius djambal in Bendung Gerak Ngringinrejo Village, Kalitidu District, Bojonegoro Regency. Methods: This research used field environmental health risk analysis method. The total sampling of the community was 50 respondents and was taken using accidental sampling. Community sample criteria are those who consume Pangasius djambal within 1 year. Environmental samples are Pangasius djambal taken at 3 points and analyzed using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) method. Results and Discussion: The results showed lead intakes at points A, B, and C were 0.0018 mg/kg/day, 0.0639 mg/kg/day, and 0.0012 mg/kg.day, respectively. The results show the RQ value of point B RQ>1 (unsafe), while points A and C are RQ≤1 (safe). It can be caused by several factors such as body weight, intake rate, consumption frequency, exposure duration, and lead concentration. Conclusion: Based on these results, it is necessary to do risk management at point B.

Neurological Presentation of Lead Toxicity: A Case Report

Acute encephalopathy, caused by infectious agents, metabolic or mitochondrial dysfunction, brain tumor, or prolonged exposure to toxic elements, is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in young children. Lead encephalopathy that occurs due to prolonged lead ingestion or exposure in children is not uncommon, and many such cases have been reported in the past. This report shares the authors’ experience of the missed diagnosis of lead encephalopathy, its red flags, and its relation to pica as a root cause. A 14-month-old boy, resident of Delhi, India, was admitted with vomiting, irritability, and two episodes of abnormal limb movements, with the first symptom starting when he was 11 months old. His case was initially treated as acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, but he showed no improvement. The child was then referred to the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, India. The boy presented with severe anemia, along with basophilic stippling on the peripheral smear during routine investigations. Suspecting lead poisoning, blood lead levels were checked, and were found to be grossly elevated. The child was then started on chelation therapy. Multiple doses of chelation (dimercaprol and D-penicillamine) were given, and sequential blood lead levels were monitored, which showed a marked decrement. The child was discharged, and is being monitored routinely. Lead poisoning remains a neglected public health issue, especially in children, and delay in identification can cause significant morbidity and mortality. Pediatricians and general practitioners must be aware of this risk, especially in children with iron deficiency anemia exhibiting pica.

Probabilistic risk assessment of dietary exposure to lead in residents of Guangzhou, China

Lead and its compounds can have cumulative harmful effects on the nervous, cardiovascular, and other systems, and especially affect the brain development of children. We collected 4918 samples from 15 food categories in 11 districts of Guangzhou, China, from 2017 to 2022, to investigate the extent of lead contamination in commercial foods and assess the health risk from dietary lead intake of the residents. Lead was measured in the samples using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Dietary exposure to lead was calculated based on the food consumption survey of Guangzhou residents in 2011, and the health risk of the population was evaluated using the margin of exposure (MOE) method. Lead was detected in 76.5% of the overall samples, with an average lead content of 29.4 µg kg−1. The highest lead level was found in bivalves. The mean daily dietary lead intakes were as follows: 0.44, 0.34, 0.25, and 0.28 µg kg−1 body weight (bw) day−1 for groups aged 3–6, 7–17, 18–59, and ≥ 60 years, respectively. Rice and rice products, leafy vegetables, and wheat flour and wheat products were identified as the primary sources of dietary lead exposure, accounting for 73.1%. The MOE values demonstrated the following tendency: younger age groups had lower MOEs, and 95% confidence ranges for the groups aged 3–6 and 7–17 began at 0.6 and 0.7, respectively, indicating the potential health risk of children, while those for other age groups were all above 1.0. Continued efforts are needed to reduce dietary lead exposure in Guangzhou.

Case of lead poisoning secondary to intake of herbal medicine for diabetes mellitus in a tertiary care hospital in Kerala.

Although most published cases of lead poisoning come from occupational exposures, some traditional remedies may also contain toxic amounts of lead. Here, we report the case of a 58-year-old female who presented with abdominal pain, generalized tiredness, and decreased food intake, with anemia and elevated levels of lead. The patient was found to be taking herbal capsules for diabetes prior to the presentation. This case highlights the need for increased awareness that some herbal remedies may contain potentially harmful levels of heavy metals, and people who use them are at risk of developing associated toxicities. Individuals who support traditional medicine often incorrectly believe that herbal remedies for diabetes are free from side effects, leading them to favor these treatments over contemporary medications. Herbal medications are freely available online, even without a prescription. The accessibility of herbal medicines without prescriptions, coupled with the false belief in their lack of side effects, misleads educated individuals toward quackery treatments. Misinformation spread via social media exacerbates this issue. Heavy metals are present in toxic levels in the drugs, causing complications. Lead is the most common heavy metal found in such herbal medicines. Lead poisoning leads to anemia and other systemic complications which could have been fatal if not found in time.

Empirical analysis of lead neurotoxicity mode of action and its application in health risk assessment

The mode of action (MOA) framework is proposed to inform a biological link between chemical exposures and adverse health effects. Despite a significant increase in knowledge and awareness, the application of MOA in human health risk assessment (RA) remains limited. This study aims to discuss the adoption of MOA for health RA within a regulatory context, taking our previously proposed but not yet validated MOA for lead neurotoxicity as an example. We first conducted a quantitative weight of evidence (qWOE) assessment, which revealed that the MOA has a moderate confidence. Then, targeted bioassays were performed within an in vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) model to quantitatively validate the scientific validity of key events (KEs) in terms of essentiality and concordance of empirical support (dose/temporal concordance), which increases confidence in utilizing the MOA for RA. Building upon the quantitative validation data, we further conducted benchmark dose (BMD) analysis to map dose-response relationships for the critical toxicity pathways, and the lower limit of BMD at a 5% response (BMDL5) was identified as the point of departure (POD) value for adverse health effects. Notably, perturbation of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AHR) signaling pathway exhibited the lowest POD value, measured at 0.0062 μM. Considering bioavailability, we further calculated a provisional health-based guidance value (HBGV) for children's lead intake, determining it to be 2.56 μg/day. Finally, the health risk associated with the HBGV was assessed using the hazard quotient (HQ) approach, which indicated that the HBGV established in this study is a relative safe reference value for lead intake. In summary, our study described the procedure for utilizing MOA in health RA and set an example for MOA-based human health risk regulation.

Arsenic, lead and cadmium concentration in food and estimated daily intake in the Cuban population and the health risks using a Total Diet Study

This study estimates the intake of arsenic, lead and cadmium by the adult population (aged 18–91) of Cuba. The food consumption indices were obtained through 24-h dietary recall surveys applied to 450 people between October 2020 and March 2021. The Estimated Dietary Intake (EDI) of t-As (54.6 μg/day), Pb (118.5 μg/day) and Cd (35.1 μg/day) complied with Cuban legislation but was higher than the EDI for Cd established by the CONTAM Panel. The Target Hazard Quotients for the three contaminants were: iAs (0.220), Pb (0.409) and Cd (0.424), making the value of the Total Target Hazard Quotient 1.05, which indicates potential health risks for the population. Additionally, associated carcinogenic risks were: iAs (1.0·10−4), Pb (7.2·10−4) and Cd (25.9·10−4). Therefore, 10, 72 and 259 persons per 100,000 inhabitants are likely prone to developing cancer due to the ingestion of iAs, Pb and Cd, respectively.

Accumulation characteristics of metals in human breast milk and association with dietary intake in northeastern China

The trace elements present in breast milk play a vital role in the growth and development of infants. Nevertheless, numerous studies have reported the presence of toxic metal contamination in breast milk from various countries and regions, which poses potential risks to breastfed infants. This article aimed to investigate the characteristics of trace elements in breast milk and explore the relationship between breast milk and diet in Dalian, a coastal city in northeastern China. Breast milk samples and representative local food samples were collected from Dalian for research. The results revealed that 57 % of breast milk samples significantly exceeded the WHO safety limit (0.6 μg/L) for arsenic, with a measured mean value of 0.96 μg/L. Moreover, the levels of chromium (mean value: 2.63 μg/L) in 34 % of breast milk samples exceed the WHO recommended safety level (chromium: 1.5 μg/L). Aquatic foods accounted for 60 % to 90 % of the total intake of arsenic, cadmium, vanadium, mercury, and lead. The Spearman correlation analysis demonstrated strong positive correlations among breast milk metal elements, including copper-zinc (r = 0.68) and nickel‑chromium (r = 0.89). Furthermore, the food-to-milk accumulation factors (FMAF) of strontium, nickel, arsenic, vanadium, cadmium, and mercury were relatively low (median values <0.005). While the FMAF values for chromium and lead were higher, with median values of 0.038 and 0.07, respectively. The results indicated potential risks of the toxic metal arsenic in breast milk from Dalian, China for breastfed infants. Therefore, continuous monitoring of breast milk for toxic metals and foodborne contamination is necessary.

Toxicity and sublethal effects of lead (Pb) intake on honey bees (Apis mellifera)

Heavy metal pollution is becoming a worldwide problem affecting pollinators. The massive use of lead (Pb), the most harmful metal for the biosphere, in industries has increased the risk for honey bees. Pb exerts toxicity on living organisms inducing mainly oxidative stress. We assessed the toxicity and sublethal effects of Pb ingestion on protein content, catalase (CAT) activity, fat content and fatty acid (FA) profile of honey bee workers (Apis mellifera L.) under different nutritional conditions during chronic exposure tests. The LD50 was 15.13 ± 6.11 μg Pb2+/bee, similar to other reports. A single oral sublethal dose of 15 μg of Pb2+ affected the survival of bees fed with sugary food for ten days after Pb ingestion while supplementing the diet with bee bread improved Pb tolerance. The highest protein content was found in bees fed with the sugar paste and bee bread diet without Pb. CAT activity tended to decrease in bees of Pb groups independently of diet. Fat content was not affected by the diet type received by bees or Pb ingestion, but the FAs profile varied according to the nutritional quality of the diet. The results highlight that a single sublethal dose of Pb negatively affected the body proteins of bees despite the nutritional condition but did not disturb the FAs profile of workers. Nutrition plays an important role in preventing Pb-induced toxicity in honey bees.

Human Health Risk Assessment of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn through Consumption of Raw goat's Milk in Jijel province (Algeria).

&lt;p&gt;Contamination of the food chain by toxic metals is one of the main concerns for human health. Milk is part of a balanced diet; essential for proper growth, but can also contains hazardous chemicals and contaminants including heavy metals which can be a risk for health. The aim of this study is to estimate the concentration of heavy metals in goat’s milk and to assess infants and children health risks related to milk consumption in Jijel province. Metals, namely Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were determined by FAAS. In parallel, an online survey was carried out to estimate the daily consumption of milk. Then, non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risk values were calculated. The results indicated common to low levels of essential elements (Cu: 0.05 ± 0.001 mg/kg, Zn: 1.87 ± 0.069 mg/kg) in comparison with toxic elements (Cd: 0.018 ± 0.001 mg/kg, Pb: 0.38 ± 0.004 mg/kg). Cadmium content bordered its limit (0.01mg/kg), whereas, lead was higher twenty time the permissible limit. While, daily estimated intake of lead exceeds the limit value (282.35%), target hazard quotient and hazard index of the mixture were below one the safe limit, representing the absence of non-carcinogenic risk. Contrariwise, the carcinogenic risk of Pb and Cd, and their cumulative risk were observed higher than the acceptable limit (Pvalue &amp;lt; 0.001). Based on these results, the consumption of goat’s milk in Jije lprovince seems to be not safe for infants.&lt;/p&gt;&#x0D;

Risks Assessment of Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg) and Zinc (Zn): A case study of &lt;i&gt;Tilapia guineensis&lt;/i&gt; in Lagos Lagoon

This study determined the daily intake of copper (Cu), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and mercury (Hg) in order to assess both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks caused by the heavy metals in Tilapia guineensis of Lagos Lagoon. The heavy metals were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The metal distribution was Zn &gt; Cu &gt; Pb &gt; Hg with values of 0.0248±0.04, 0.0093±0.01, 0.0005±0.00 and 0.000±0.00 mg/kg respectively. Daily Intake of Metal was in the order of Zn (0.02) &gt; Cu (0.01) &gt; Pb (0.00) ≥ Hg (0.00), while Target Hazard Quotient decreased in the order of Pb (3.82×10-4) &gt; Cu (9.54×10-5) &gt; Zn (2.49×10-6) &gt; Hg (0.00). The values for Health Risk Index were 0.016 (Cu), 0.00 (Hg), 0.006 (Zn) and 0.034 (Pb), while that for the Health Quotients were 0.400 (Pb), 0.187 (Cu), 0.066 (Zn) and 0.00 (Hg). Similarly, all Hazard Index were less than one. This showed that the consumption of the fish from the study area had no non-carcinogenic health implication of Hg, Zn, Cu and Pb. However, the Target Cancer Risk for Pb (1.38×10-8) indicated minimum cancer risks for the consumers. The ecological risks quotients also revealed that T. guineensis of Lagos Lagoon constituted no ecological risk to the environment since the ERQs were less than one (i.e. ERQ &lt; 1).

The relationship between Mute Swan Cygnus olor population trends in Great Britain and environmental change

ABSTRACT Capsule The increase in autumn sowing of crops is probably an additional contributory factor to the national ban on lead angling weights in influencing the large increase in British Mute Swan Cygnus olor numbers since the 1970s. Aims The national population of Mute Swans in Great Britain has more than doubled since the 1970s, and previous correlative analyses of national population changes identified a national ban on lead angling weights in 1987 as the main driver of this change. We examine regional variation in Mute Swan population changes to test the contribution of additional environmental covariates to the observed increase. Methods We explore regional and national variation in Mute Swan population trends to changes in climate, agriculture, water quality, and angling to assess whether the same patterns emerge at different scales. Results Changes in the extent of oilseed rape and wheat, which provide winter food for Mute Swans, showed a consistent positive association with the spatial and temporal pattern of Mute Swan population trends, while a proxy for the expected change in the exposure of swans to lead weights from angling contributed much less. Conclusion The lead weight ban occurred alongside rapid changes in arable cropping area, with swans probably benefitting from both increased food resources and reduced rates of lead ingestion. Our study highlights the value of exploiting both spatial and temporal variation in abundance when exploring potential drivers of population change. Future changes in agricultural policy and practice in Great Britain may influence Mute Swan populations.

Probabilistic risk assessment of dietary exposure to lead among Chongqing residents

To investigate lead contamination in commercial foods in Chongqing City, and to assess the health risk of dietary lead exposure of residents in Chongqing City. Lead concentration data was obtained from the food safety risk monitoring system, which included a total of 2347 lead-containing food samples in 11 categories in Chongqing from 2016 to 2020. Consumption data was derived from the China Health and Nutrition Survey Project in Chongqing in 2018(3 day, 24 h dietary recall survey). The dietary exposure to lead of residents in Chongqing was calculated by the Monte Carlo simulation method and the margin of exposure(MOE) method was used to evaluate the health risk of the population. The average content of lead in 2347 food samples from 11 categories ranged from 0.0328 to 0.0363 mg/kg, with an overall detection rate of 58.5%. For people aged between 3-6, 7-17, 18-59, and ≥ 60 years, the mean dietary lead intakes in Chongqing were 0.935-1.070, 0.600-0.684, 0.367-0.416, 0.369-0.419 μg/(kg·BW·d), respectively; and the high levels of dietary lead exposure(P95) were 1.642-1.852, 1.147-1.299, 0.651-0.729, 0.659-0.740 μg/(kg·BW·d), respectively. MOE values for lead were less than 1 for age groups 3-6 and 7-17 years. Mean MOE values for lead were greater than 1 for ages 18 to 59 and ≥ 60. Cereals and their products, vegetables and their products, and meat and meat products were the main sources of dietary lead exposure, accounting for more than 85% of the total dietary lead exposure. There are potential health risks of lead for residents in Chongqing.

Review of the legal and regulatory history of lead in hunting

AbstractIn the United States, regulations to restrict the use of lead in ammunition have evolved at both the federal and state levels since lead shot was banned for hunting waterfowl nationwide by federal regulation in 1991. Prior to 1991, most of the effort and discussions were focused on reducing lead ingestion by wildlife from, and finding alternatives for, shotgun ammunition i.e., ammunition firing multiple small projectiles from one shell. Shotgun ammunition is often used for hunting small game mammals and birds. Since then, much, but not all, of the focus has shifted to reducing lead ingestion by wildlife from, and finding alternatives for, rifle ammunition i.e., ammunition firing a single projectile. Rifle ammunition is often, but not exclusively, used for hunting large game. Herein I will review the history of regulating lead in hunting ammunition in the U.S., and discuss some of the social, scientific, economic, and technological issues regarding switching from lead to nonlead alternatives.

NATURAL FORAGE LANDS OF EASTERN PODILLYA OF UKRAINE: ORIENTATION OF DYNAMIC PROCESSES AND OPTIMIZATION IN MODERN ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS

The article presents an analysis of the state of natural forage lands of the Eastern Podillya of Ukraine. The analysis of the geobotanical survey of the natural forage lands of the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine proved that they are in an unsatisfactory state due to high anthropogenic load and need to be restored. The main sources of stress on natural ecosystems, including forage lands, are highlighted – industry, motor vehicle, sewage and household waste, as well as agricultural production, which are characterized by an excessive influx of toxic elements into the environment. Optimization of natural forage lands is an integral part of the concept of balanced development and national programs on the quality of the environment as a mandatory element of state policy. To optimize the restoration of contaminated natural forage lands, it is quite important to assess the risks from the adverse effects of heavy metals, to carry out an ecological assessment of this process, which can be the basis for large-scale measures to restore contaminated lands. Among a large number of toxic elements, heavy metals occupy a prominent place. In particular, there is an increased intake of lead, cadmium, zinc, and copper. It was found that in the conditions of dry land lowland meadows, normal dry lands are the safest and most suitable for providing herbivores with plant biodiversity. It has been proven that the accumulation of toxic substances in soils leads to their degradation, which is accompanied by a toxic effect on plants, causing a decrease in their reproductive quality. A significant man-made load of motor vehicles on the soils of the roadside space, which is accompanied by their contamination with heavy metals, was revealed. Based on the results of the research, a theoretical generalization was made and a solution to the current scientific and practical task was proposed regarding the assessment of the intensity of pollution of the natural lands of Vinnytsia region by heavy metals in the conditions of various man-made loads Installed it was found that the exceedance of the maximum concentration limit in the soils in the studied territories of local pollution of dry lowland meadows of Vinnytsia region was found only for cadmium by 1,01 times in the territories dry lands of excessive moisture adjacent to the railway connection.

Incidence of lead ingestion in managed goose populations and the efficacy of imposed restrictions on the use of lead shot

Lead is a toxic heavy metal that when ingested can cause death or sub‐lethal fitness effects. Despite its toxicity, it is still widely used in recreational and management shooting globally. To reduce the impacts of lead on wildfowl, recent European Union legislation has banned the use of lead shot in and around wetlands from 2023. Understanding the effectiveness of such mitigation is vital to inform future policy. On Islay, Scotland, the licensed shooting of Barnacle Geese Branta leucopsis to reduce agricultural damage has adhered to the ban on use of lead shot over Ramsar‐designated wetlands legislated in Scotland in 2004. On average 2380 lead cartridges were fired annually between 2005 and 2020 outside designated wetlands, where Barnacle Geese and other wildfowl forage. From faecal samples, it is possible to infer whether birds have ingested lead and are therefore potentially suffering from lead poisoning. After sampling faeces from Barnacle Geese (n = 193) and Greenland White‐fronted Geese Anser albifrons flavirostris (n = 150) we found only four (1.2%) faecal samples with elevated lead levels that may be indicative of lead shot ingestion. Further post‐mortem examinations (n = 102 Barnacle Geese only) and X‐ray of live birds (n = 293) revealed similarly low levels of shot ingestion in both species (post‐mortem &lt; 4%, and X‐ray &lt; 2%), corroborating findings from faecal sample analysis. When subsequently accounting for limited shot retention time within individuals, the proportion of each population ingesting a single lead shot over a winter was estimated at a maximum of 9.4% (Barnacle Geese) and 16.8% (White‐fronted Geese). We propose that high compliance with the ban on using lead shot over wetlands because of carefully controlled shooting management on Islay has led to relatively low instantaneous ingestion rates, probably resulting in minimal lead poisoning mortality. However, ingestion was not eliminated and the potential fitness effect of chronic lead poisoning in both goose populations therefore persists, although use of lead shot in organized shooting has subsequently been discontinued. Recent European Union bans on lead shot use over wetlands may reduce lead ingestion in waterfowl if compliance rates are high, but as foraging often occurs outside wetlands (as in this study), further restrictions including use on other key foraging sites may help to further mitigate the risk of lead poisoning in waterfowl.

Modeling of the Intake of Cadmium, Lead, Mercury and Arsenic Into the Body of Ruminants With a Ration and the Transition to Animal Products

The task of establishing the regularities of accumulation and transition to animal products of heavy metals for the development of scientifically based standards for the content of heavy metals in feeding diets is urgent. Based on modeling the effects of cadmium on the body of ruminants, in order to normalize the intake of heavy metals: Cd, Pb, Hg and As with the diet, accumulation in the body, and transition to livestock products, a simulation model for cattle and sheep has been developed. A conceptual scheme is presented that reflects the structure and functioning of the model. Its description is given. To calculate the maximum permissible levels of cadmium, lead, mercury and arsenic in the diet of cattle and sheep, a list of input parameters has been established. The studied indicator is the maximum permissible level of Cd, Pb, Hg and As content in feeding diets, the excess of which, it is expected, will lead to a violation of heavy metals standards in animal products (milk and meat). The model has been verified. The degree of similarity of empirical data and modeling results indicates the legitimacy of using the model and the conclusions drawn with its help are applicable to the real system under study and can be considered correct and reliable at an acceptable level. The implementation of the model, the establishment of the values of the maximum permissible levels of cadmium, lead, mercury and arsenic in the diets of animals, depending on the species, age group, physiological state, productivity level and other factors will allow to make changes and improve the technology of keeping and feeding in the conditions of the current technogenic situation and guarantee the receipt of environmentally safe livestock products.

Dietary Calcium Levels and Treatment Interval Determine the Effects of Lead Ingestion on Plasma 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D Concentration in Chicks

The combined effects of dietary calcium level and lead level on several indices of vitamin D endocrine function were examined in young, growing chicks. Day-old animals fed a nutritionally adequate diet for 2 wk were fed diets either adequate (1.2%) or low (0.1%) in calcium, and containing 0, 0.2 or 0.8% lead for an additional 1 or 2 wk. In the calcium-adequate group, lead ingestion significantly elevated intestinal calbindin-D28k protein and mRNA levels as well as plasma 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D concentration compared with the control animals fed a lead-free diet. The effect was apparent after 1 wk of treatment and continued through wk 2. In the calcium-deficient group, the early (1 wk) increases in plasma 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and calbindin-D28k protein and mRNA were significantly reversed by lead ingestion over the 2-wk trial period in a dose-dependent fashion. In these circumstances, vitamin D endocrine function is severely compromised. Therefore, lead ingestion may result in either enhanced or diminished circulating 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D concentrations and ensuing intestinal responses, depending of dietary calcium level and the duration of lead intake. These results provide possible explanations for several apparently conflicting sets of observations regarding lead-calcium interactions.

Dietary intake and health risk assessment of lead and cadmium in green tea from Morocco

Dietary intake and health risk assessment of lead and cadmium in green tea from Morocco

Health risks of heavy metals in food and their economic burden in Armenia

Mining leads to excessive heavy metal contamination of agricultural products in Armenia and can adversely impact human health. We quantify the concentrations of toxic heavy metals (lead, nickel, cadmium, and mercury) in food sampled from local markets of the capital city, Yerevan. We combine these measured concentrations with data from a diet survey of 1,195 people. The results provide an estimate of people’s heavy metal intake in a typical day.The study finds that only dietary exposure to lead raises consumer safety concerns. More than 50 % of the population have daily intakes of lead that exceed the benchmark dose level (BMDL10) of 0.63 μg/kg b.w./day established by European Food Safety Authority. Moreover, risk assessment results indicate that approximately 96 % of the population has dietary exposure values for lead that exceed the threshold level, with animal products as the primary source. The lead exposure observed in sampled population has the potential to increase blood pressure on average by 0.54 mmHg, lower IQ levels by 1.2 point, and reduce lifetime earnings by $5000. The study reveals a strong need to determine the specific pathways by which lead enters the food supply, to mitigate the excess exposures, and to reduce the potential or severity of the resulting adverse health impacts.