Provisional Tolerable Daily Intake Research Articles

Investigation of heavy metals in tissues and habitats of three edible frogs from Türkiye.

The soil, water, and organisms have been contaminated by heavy metals due to human activities and industrialization, which has produced a major environmental problem that has a deleterious effect on human health and food quality. Frogs, one of the good bioindicators for environmental pollution, are also among the alternative essential protein sources for humans. In Türkiye, three of these frogs are edible: Pelophylax ridibundus, Pelophylax bedriagae, and Pelophylax caralitanus, also known as Anatolian water frogs. Hence, to assess the possible health risks that might result from consuming frog legs in addition aquatic habitat of Anatolian water frogs, the water, sediment, and frog tissue samples (muscle and liver) were obtained from 11 different provinces covering all regions of Türkiye and analyzed to determine Cd, Cu, Cr, Zn, Pb, and As concentrations. The results revealed considerable variations in heavy metal concentrations among frog tissues, influenced by the sampling sites and species (ANOVA: p < 0.05). The Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) values, calculated based on the average serving size, were also lower than the Provisional Tolerable Daily Intake (PTDI) levels for adult consumers. Furthermore, the study computed the Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) values for heavy metals, all of which were below the critical value of 1, indicating that consuming the hind leg muscles from these frog species would not pose an adverse health risk for humans.

Heavy metal bioaccumulation and risk assessment in fishery resources from the Gulf of Thailand

The muscle tissues of 19 fish species, two crab species, and one shrimp species collected from the Gulf of Thailand (GoT) were analyzed to determine the levels of heavy metals, including Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Cd, and Hg. The results revealed that the mean concentrations of the heavy metals, in descending order, were Zn > Cu > Fe > Cd > Hg > Mn > Pb > Ni. Among the examined metals, zinc was found to be the most prevalent in fish tissues. Based on the risk assessment indices, the estimated average daily doses (ADD) of the heavy metals were found to be below the provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI) recommended by the joint Committee of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) on food contaminants. The results of the target cancer risk analysis revealed no related cancer risk from the consumption of the fishes considered for the study. However, the target hazard quotient (THQ) values exceeded the threshold of 1 (THQ > 1) specifically for mercury in Gymnothorax spp. and Terapon spp. Furthermore, the calculated hazard index (HI) values for fish muscles were all below 1, indicating that there is no significant health risk for humans at the current consumption rates, except in Terapon species for both normal and habitual consumers. Notably, habitual consumers of Gymnothorax species showed the highest HI value (>1), suggesting potential long-term effects on human health when consuming larger quantities of these fishes.

Occurrence and health risks of heavy metals in crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) from Jiangsu province, China

Concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) in crayfish from Jiangsu province, China, were measured and their health risks were evaluated. For crayfish from both crayfish-rice culture system (CRCS) and crayfish intensive culture system (CICS), concentrations of As, Cd and Pb in whole body of crayfish (WB) were significantly higher than those in abdominal muscle of crayfish (AM), while concentration of Hg in WB was significantly lower than that in AM. No significant difference in concentrations of the heavy metals was found between CRCS and CICS. Concentrations of the heavy metals in AM from both systems were below the limit set by the national standard of China. Estimated daily intake values of the heavy metals were far below the provisional tolerable daily intakes set by Joint FAO/WHO committee on Food Additives, and the corresponding hazard quotient and hazard index were below one. Therefore, consumption of crayfish with the average daily consumption rate (DCR) could be generally regarded as safe. For the consumption with two more times of average DCR during peak season, there might be a potential health risk from intakes of As and Hg in abdominal muscle of crayfish.Graphical

Heavy metal quantification in chicken meat and egg: An emerging food safety concern

Heavy metal contamination in widely consumed foods is a significant safety concern. This study aimed to determine heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, and Mn) in different parts of chicken meats (variety: Poultry and Sonali) and eggs (n = 180) collected from different local markets of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The analysis of heavy metals was carried out using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Alarmingly, 75% of the poultry bone and 60% of the egg albumens and yolks exceeded the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) of Pb set by the Codex Alimentarius. Moreover, 40% of the poultry bone and 89% of the egg samples surpassed the MAC of Cd. The estimated daily intake (EDI) values for Pb and Cd exceeded the respective provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI) levels. The incremental lifetime cancer risks (ILCR) of Pb and Cd in the detected samples exceeded the threshold risk limit (ILCR>10−4) for adult and child consumers, indicating carcinogenic health risks. The hazard index (HI) values of poultry bone for adults (4.1) and children (7.8) exceeded the benchmark (HI=1), indicating non-carcinogenic health effects. This study might help policymakers and regulatory authorities identify non-compliance and apply control measures to produce safe meat and eggs for safeguarding public health.

Risk Assessment of Toxic Heavy Metals Concentration of Fish and Drinking Water in Nsukka Metropolis, South East, Nigeria

Background: Toxic Heavy Metals (THMs) threaten food safety and result in human poisonings. It seems to be few studies on THMs contamination in food chain in developing countries. Current investigation determine the concentration and health risk of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), as well as mercury (Hg) in fish and water at Nsukka, Metropolis, Enugu state, Nigeria.&#x0D; Methods: Forty eight samples; 24 (catfish and tilapia) fish and 24 (borehole, sachet, and bottled) water were randomly collected from two major markets and districts in Nsukka Metropolis and were evaluated for THMs using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The Estimated Daily Intake, Target Hazard Quotient, Hazard Index, and Cancer Risk (CR) were assessed as well.&#x0D; Results: THMs analaysis showed that As, Cd, and Hg were at 100% and Pb being at 16% in all the fish samples while 12.5% of fish of exceeded the Hg Maximum Permissible Limit (MPL) of 0.050 mg/kg, that not statistically significant (p&gt;0.05).On the other hand, based on the analysis of all water samples, Hg and As were detected at 100% rate, Cd at 58.3% while Pb was not identified. The values above the MPL appeared to be 9 (37.5%), 2 (8.3%), and 3(12.5%) for Hg, As, and Cd, respectively in water while not statistically significant (p&gt;0.05). The mean value of Hg (0.06425 mg/kg) in roasted fish as well as Cd (0.0065 and 0.0105) mg/ml in tap and bottled water respectively surpassed the MPL although not statistically significant (p&gt;0.05). The Estimated Daily Intake of THMs except Cd in fish were proved to be within the Provisional Tolerable Daily Intake in contrast with As and Cd in water. CR is present both in children and adults with CR value &gt;1.&#x0D; Conclusion: The finding of THMs in fish and water above the MPL is regarded as potential health risk for the consumers of such contaminated water and fish in the investigation scope.

Bioaccumulation of Potentially Toxic Elements in Tilia tomentosa Moench Trees from Urban Parks and Potential Health Risks from Using Leaves and Flowers for Medicinal Purposes

Potentially toxic element (PTE) contamination in medicinal plants, particularly those growing in urban environments, can cause human health issues. Therefore, this study evaluated trace element accumulation and translocation patterns (As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sr, and Zn) in the aboveground tissue of common Tilia tomentosa Moench, often used as a medicinal plant, sampled in Belgrade’s urban parks (Zemunski Park, Park Blok 63, and Park Topčider). Our results indicated that this species exhibits the ability to accumulate and translocate PTEs, particularly Cu, in its aboveground parts. It was found that the levels of Cu and Sr in flowers were within the toxic range for plants, indicating a potential risk in using T. tomentosa flowers from Park Topčider for medicinal purposes. The maximum Estimated Daily Intake of Ni from the consumption of leaves and flowers of plants growing in two parks (Zemunski Park and Park Topčider) exceeded the corresponding Provisional Tolerable Daily Intake. Additionally, the Carcinogenic Risk calculated for Cr present in flowers was above the USEPA limit (3.021 × 10−3), indicating possible adverse effects on human health and a carcinogenic risk from ingesting tea prepared from T. tomentosa flowers from Park Topčider. Our research underlines how crucial it is to cautiously use medicinal tree species growing in urban parks in residential areas.

Comparison of nutritional and trace element concentrations in some Sri Lankan traditional rice varieties

SummaryRecently, traditional rice cultivars have become more popular than new, enhanced rice varieties, with the main focus being on their health benefits. Few rice cultivars have been thoroughly studied to understand their nutritional and health benefits. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission/mass spectroscopy methods were used to determine the concentrations of 24 key nutrients and trace elements in 104 traditional rice types (Oryza sativa L.) grown in Sri Lanka. Compared to the Codex Alimentarius provisional tolerable daily intake for 24 different elements, the concentrations of toxic elements such as As, Cd, Pb and Cr were significantly lower (P &lt; 0.05), and most of the nutritional elemental concentrations were substantially higher (P &lt; 0.05) in evaluated traditional rice varieties. Furthermore, Pb, Bi, B, K, Mg, S, Zn and Fe concentrations among traditional rice varieties were not substantially different (P &gt; 0.05). Notably, several traditional rice varieties (i.e. Rathu Heenati, Pragathi Wee, Weda Heenati, etc.) contained significantly high levels of selenium (≈250 μg L−1 DM, P &lt; 0.05), an important trace element that is deficient in the diets of 1 billion people globally.

Intake of toxic metals through dietary eggs consumption and its potential health risk assessment on the peoples of the capital city Dhaka, Bangladesh

Around the world, hen meat and eggs are very widely consumed in dishes like curries, processed cuisine, and fast food. The ingestion of contaminated eggs poses a biochemical risk from the perspective of food safety due to the presence of heavy metal and trace element residues in hen eggs. The purpose of this study was to examine the concentrations of heavy metals in eggs from commercial chicken farms from capital city and hens from local area in order to identify the most significant heavy metal concentration in hen eggs. The concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Mn, Ni, Fe, Zn, Co and As in samples of hen eggs collected from different locations were measured in the present study and concentrations of these selective metals were found to be between < 0.001, 0.01–0.89, 0.81–0.015, 0.81–58.8, 0.32–1.9, 0.05–1.03, 0.04–0.38, 10.6–104.02, 2.41–48.46, 0.04–0.5 mg/kg-fw and BDL respectively. The findings showed that Cu, Pb, Fe and Zn had levels over the dietary food's maximum permissible limit (MPL). Multivariate statistical studies showed that human activity was the main contributor to the presence of heavy metals in the sampled diets. Estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ) of individual heavy metals, and carcinogenic risk (CR) for lifetime exposure were used to evaluate the risks to human health associated with dietary intake of these metals through consumption of hen eggs. Provisional tolerable daily intake values (PTDI) for Pb, Cu, Zn, and Fe were higher, indicating that these metals might be harmful to human health if consumed in eggs by both children and adults. The evaluated foodstuffs can be consumed with low or less risk of exposure to heavy metals because the computed values of THQ and CR were below their respective allowed thresholds.

Heavy Metal Concentrations in Mollusks and Crustaceans Harvested from Eastern Samar’s Taft River in the Philippine and the Health Risks Posed to Consumers

Heavy metal (HM) contamination from mining activities poses a health risk to humans who consume mollusks and crustaceans from mine-affected environments. One such example is the Taft River, which receives drainage water and sediments from the Bagacay mines in Samar, Philippines. To assess the accumulation of HM in mollusks and crustaceans and the associated risks to the humans, a comprehensive analysis was conducted on representative specimens, which were gathered from different sections of the river. The concentrations of Cu (97.67 mg kg–1), Ni (29.30 mg kg–1), Pb (0.59 mg kg–1), and Sr (14.67 mg kg–1) in the flesh of “bebe” (Batissa violacea Lamarck) were significantly higher than those in “tangili” (Telescopium telescopium Linn.), “tuway” (Mercenaria mercenaria Linn.), and “sihi” (Nerita albicilla Linn.); whereas for crustaceans, the flesh of mud crabs (Scylla serrata) contained higher concentrations of As (17.67 mg kg–1), Cu (118.67 mg kg–1), Ni (25.79 mg kg–1), Rb (31.33 mg kg–1), Sr (60.67 mg kg–1), and Zn (331.00 mg kg–1) compared with giant freshwater prawns (Macrobrachium rosenbergii). The consumption of T. telescompium, N. albicilla, and B. violacea may result in an estimated daily intake (EDI) that is greater than the provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI) for As [2.03–4.48 μg kg–1 body weight (BW) d–1], while all mollusks may have an EDI for Cr of between 124.59–136.23 48 μg kg–1 BW d–1. This may subsequently lead to a high target hazard quotient (THQ), high hazard index (HI), and high target cancer risk (TCR) for adults. With respect to crustaceans, the consumption of S. serrata exceeds the PTDI index for As. Both S. serrata and M. rosenbergii exceed the PTDI for Cr by 20–21 times, as well as the elevated health risk values of 22.36 and 28.57 48 μg kg–1 d–1 for M. rosenbergii and S. serrata, respectively. Overall, current results indicate that human consumption of the Taft River mollusks and crustaceans may inadvertently lead to an increased intake of As and Cr that could negatively impact human health.

Feeding Habit-Specific Heavy Metal Bioaccumulation and Health Risk Assessment of Fish in a Tropical Reservoir in Southern China

Dietary uptake is well known as the predominant pathway of heavy metal bioaccumulation in organisms. Our study used a typical tropical reservoir and fish as a modeling system to test the hypothesis that feeding habits and living habitats significantly affect heavy metal bioaccumulation in fish. Specifically, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb concentrations in water, sediment, and fish, and δ13C and δ15N in 13 fish species were detected in the Songtao Reservoir of Hainan Province, southern China. Our results indicated that Zn concentration in carnivorous fish was higher than in omnivorous fish. Principal components analysis visually differentiated pelagic, benthopelagic, and demersal fish groups. Moreover, we found that the fish feeding in the demersal habitat showed higher heavy metal levels than those in the pelagic habitat. Additionally, the heavy metal contents in demersal fish were significantly positively correlated with sediments, while no positive correlation was observed in pelagic-feeding fish. The δ15N and the concentration of Ni, Zn in fish had a significantly positive correlation, suggesting the potential biomagnification. In contrast, Ni, Fe, Cu, and Cd negatively correlated with fish body weight/length, indicating the growth dilution effects. Finally, the estimated daily intake (EDI) of the metals was far below the provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI), and target hazard quotients (THQ) were &lt;1.0, indicating that the fish had no risk for consumption risks. Overall, our finding partially validated the hypothesis that the feeding habits and living habitats significantly influence heavy metal bioaccumulation in fish, which might be a broad generality for metal exposure scenarios in aquatic environments.

Heavy metal residues in milk and some dairy products with insight into their health risk assessment and the role of Lactobacillus rhamnosus in reducing the lead and cadmium load in cheese

Heavy metals were analyzed in buffalo's milk and some dairy products assembled from different dairy farms, supermarkets, and vendors in Mansoura, Egypt. The mean concentrations (mg/kg wet weight) of the heavy metals detected in raw milk, Kareish cheese, processed cheese, and milk powder were 0.0014, 0.0378, 0.0022, and 0.0204, respectively for mercury; 0.012, 0.0764, 0.052, and 0.120, respectively for arsenic; 0.1016, 0.2924, 0.1256, and 0.3352, respectively for lead; 0.07, 0.1172, 0.0576, and 0.1252, respectively for cadmium; 0.1044, 0.174, 0.1016, and 0.208, respectively for chromium; and 0.0656, 0.188, 0.1272, and 0.2496, respectively for copper. The probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus was incorporated into soft cheese as an attempt for reducing lead and cadmium whose concentrations were diminished by 81.5% and 74.5%, respectively within 48 h at 4 °C. The study concluded that although the maximum limit of Pb and Cd has been exceeded in 44% to 68% of the dairy products tested, the health risk assessment indices comprising Estimated Daily Intakes, Provisional Tolerable Daily Intakes, Target Hazard Quotient, and Hazard Index indicated no potential health risk upon consumption of such dairy products analyzed. The study also suggested the use of Lactobacillus rhamnosus probiotic for minimizing lead and cadmium levels in dairy food.

Concentration and Human Health Risk Assessment of Alkylphenols, Bisphenols and Some Heavy Metals in Selected Canned Foods in Lagos, Nigeria

The concentrations and human health risk associated with alkylphenols, bisphenols, Pb, Fe, Cd, and Cr were evaluated in samples of eight different canned foods sold in Lagos, Nigeria using standard techniques. The concentrations of Pb ranged from 0.002 to 2.84 mg/kg, Fe values ranged from 1.05 to 140.34 mg/kg, Cd levels ranged from 0.03 to 0.65 mg/kg, Cr levels ranged from 0.35 to 0.77 mg/kg, and bisphenol-A (BPA) values ranged from 33.90 to 70.14 ng/g across the canned foods. The estimated daily intake (EDI) through the consumption of the different canned foods sampled ranged from 3.67x10-6 to 2.33x10-2 mg/kg/day for Pb, 1.02x10-3 to 1.43 mg/kg/day for Fe, 1.50x10-5 to 6.61x10-3 mg/kg/day for Cd, 7.80x10-5 to 7.83x10-3 mg/kg/day for Cr, and 1.70x10-5 to 5.81x10-4 mg/kg/day for BPA. Most canned food groups had EDI values that were lower than the recommended provisional tolerable daily intake for the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives However, canned peas and canned beans had EDI values that were higher than the recommended limits for Pb, Fe, and Cr. The results from the hazard index (HI) suggest that there is a risk of a non-carcinogenic toxic effect for canned tomatoes, canned fish, canned corn, canned beans, and canned peas as their values were greater than 1. Results from this study can be used to inform regulatory decisions, guide industry standards for the production of these products and used by consumers to make informed decisions about which canned foods to purchase and consume.

Citrinin Exposure in Germany: Urine Biomarker Analysis in Children and Adults.

Citrinin (CIT), a mycotoxin known to exert nephrotoxicity, is a contaminant in food and feed. Since CIT contamination is not regularly analyzed, data on its occurrence and especially levels in food commodities are insufficient for conducting a conventional exposure assessment. Yet, human biomonitoring, i.e., an analysis of CIT and its metabolite dihydrocitrinone (DH-CIT) in urine samples allows to estimate exposure. This study investigated CIT exposure in young (2-14 years) and adult (24-61 years) residents of three federal states in Germany. A total of 179 urine samples from children and 142 from adults were collected and analyzed by a targeted LC-MS/MS based method for presence of CIT and DH-CIT. At least one of the biomarkers was detected and quantified in all urines, which indicated a widespread dietary exposure to the mycotoxin in Germany. Interestingly, the biomarker concentrations of CITtotal (sum of CIT and DH-CIT) were higher in children's urine (range 0.05-7.62 ng/mL; median of 0.54 ng/mL) than in urines from adults (range 0.04-3.5 ng/mL; median 0.3 ng/mL). The biomarker levels (CITtotal) of individual urines served to calculate the probable daily CIT intake, for comparison to a value of 0.2 µg/kg bw/day defined as 'level of no concern for nephrotoxicity' by the European Food Safety Authority. The median exposure of German adults was 0.013 µg/kg b.w., with only one urine donor exceeding this provisional tolerable daily intake (pTDI) for CIT. The median exposure of children was 0.05 µg/kg bw per day (i.e., 25% of the pTDI); however, CIT exposure in 12 individuals (6.3% of our study group) exceeded the limit value, with a maximum intake of 0.46 µg/kg b.w. per day. In conclusion, these results show evidence for non-negligible exposure to CIT in some individuals in Germany, mainly in children. Therefore, further biomonitoring studies and investigations aimed to identify the major sources of CIT exposure in food commodities are required.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans and mercury in vegetable of the contaminated Ya-Er Lake area: Concentrations, sources, and health risk

The Ya-Er Lake is a seriously polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzo-furans (PCDD/Fs) and mercury (Hg)-contaminated lake by pesticide and chlor-alkali plants in China. The oxidation pond method has been conducted to control pollution, moreover, the contaminated sediment was dredged and stacked, becoming a sediment stack yard for vegetable cultivation. To assess effects of oxidation pond method and dredging programme on pollution management and long-term risks of PCDD/Fs and Hg, the concentrations of PCDD/Fs, total Hg (THg), and methylmercury (MeHg) in soil and vegetable sampled from the sediment stack yard were measured and analyzed. Significantly positive relationships between concentrations of PCDD/Fs (p < 0.01), THg, and MeHg (p < 0.05) in edible parts of vegetable and soil were found, suggesting that bioaccumulation from contaminated soil derived from sediment dredging is important sources of PCDD/Fs and Hg in vegetable. Much higher PCDD/Fs (12 ± 9 pg/g dw) and Hg (THg, 0.14 ± 0.23 μg/g dw; MeHg,12.63 ± 13.31 ng/g dw) levels in vegetable were found compared with those from other contaminated regions, indicative of serious PCDD/Fs and Hg pollution in vegetable harvested from contaminated soil. Finally, the calculated provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI) values showed higher health risk of PCDD/Fs and Hg exposure to local residents through consumption of purple and white flowering stalk, and oilseed rape. Our study established a good model to evaluate the long-term risks of PCDD/Fs and Hg. Moreover, the results indicate that the oxidation pond method and dredging programme were not effective to remove PCDD/Fs and Hg in sediment, which shed new light on management strategy of PCDD/Fs and Hg pollution in contaminated regions.

Comparison of the health risks associated with exposure to toxic metals and metalloids following consumption of freshwater catches in China

Crayfish, carp, and crab threaten the consumer’s health due to the enrichment of the toxic elements. The concentration of the toxic elements (As, Cr, Cd, and Pb) in these aquatics was less investigated simultaneously in situ. In this study, the toxic elements in these aquatics from the same site of Hanchuan, Hubei Province, China were measured by ICP-MS to assess the enrichment of the four toxic elements in them and the health risk to the consumer. The results showed that the concentrations of these elements in muscle were lower than those in hepatopancreas/ liver, except for Cr in crayfish. Furthermore, the concentrations of Cd in the hepatopancreas of crayfish and crab exceeded the standards of China and the European Union. Accordingly, the hepatopancreas of crayfish and crab are not recommended for consumption. The estimated daily intake of these elements in the muscle of crayfish, carp, and crab did not exceed the provisional tolerable daily intakes, the corresponding target hazard quotient (THQ), and the cancer risk (CR) values for As were lower than 1 and 1 × 10–6, respectively. However, the accumulated consumption of the muscle of the three freshwater catches could result in a significant increase in the total THQ value. The total ingestion of the muscle of these catches should be limited. Collectively, these findings may renew interest in food safety and the health risk to humans owing to the consumption of freshwater catches.

Nonylphenol (NP) exposure in Germany between 1991 and 2021: Urinary biomarker analyses in the German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB).

Nonylphenol (NP) is a high production volume chemical with a wide range of uses, e.g. in NP ethoxylates (NPEO). NP and NPEO have become ubiquitous in the environment and are considered of concern due to their general ecotoxicity and endocrine disrupting properties. However, knowledge on human exposure is scarce. In this study, we analyzed novel NP metabolites (OH-NP and oxo-NP) as robust biomarkers of exposure in 24h-urine samples from the German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB). This enables us to reliably determine the individual NP body burden and to retrospectively evaluate NP exposure over the past 30 years. We analyzed 660 urine samples from eleven sampling years between 1991 and 2021. All samples were from young German adults between 20 and 29 years of age. OH-NP was quantifiable in all samples until 2017. In 2019 and 2021, the frequency of samples above the LOQ dropped to 90% and 77%, respectively. Median OH-NP concentrations significantly decreased from 4.32μg/L in 1991 to 0.70μg/L in 2021. OH-NP and oxo-NP levels correlated strongly, but oxo-NP concentrations and detections were considerably lower, in line with its known lower metabolic conversion. Reverse dosimetry back-calculated daily intakes (DI) of NP, based on OH-NP, decreased by almost a factor of four from medians of 0.16 μg/(kg bw*d) in 1991 to 0.04 μg/(kg bw*d) in 2021, respectively. The major drop took place only after 2012. This came as a surprise, because strict restrictions had been enacted much earlier in the EU, in 2003. All NP DIs were below the provisional tolerable daily intake of 5 μg/(kg bw*d) from the Danish Environmental Agency. DIs back-calculated from the ESB biomonitoring data agree well with calculations from food. This indicates to contaminated foodstuff as a major source of exposure. The time lag of regulatory restrictions to decreasing human exposure levels, the general lack of knowledge on exposure levels in susceptible populations such as children, and the ongoing worldwide use of NP underline the urgent need to continue monitoring NP exposures in Germany and worldwide. With these novel NP biomarkers, we provide a robust and sensitive tool for exposure and risk assessments, complementing environmental monitoring.

Organohalogenated Substances and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Fish from Mediterranean Sea and North Italian Lakes: Related Risk for the Italian Consumers.

The primary source of persistent organic pollutant (POP) exposure is food, especially fish. European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) are among the most eaten sea fish in Italy. Fish from lakes in Northern Italy, such as agone (Alosa agone), represent niche consumption for most people, but possibly constitute a much larger percentage of overall consumption volume for local residents. This study dealt with the presence of POPs in the above-mentioned fish species via GC-MS/MS analysis. None of the analytes for which maximum limits are in place showed concentrations above those limits. Moreover, none of the substances without maximum limits exceeded the provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI) when given, nor did they exceed the more general values considered safe, even for 99th percentile consumers.

Health risk assessment of Cu, As, Cd and Pb in the broiler breast in Shenyang, China

In this cross-sectional study, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to determine the levels of Cu, Pb, Cd, and As in 55 chicken breast samples collected in Shenyang, China. The estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), total hazard index (HI), and target cancer risk (TCR) were calculated to evaluate potential health risks from broiler breast consumption in different age groups. Heavy metal concentration in broiler breast samples was below the maximum residue limit (MRL) set by national and international regulations. Principal component analysis (PCA) results were similar to those of the hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), mutually validating the two distinct groups of Pb-Cd-As and Cu, which indicated that there were similar sources for Pb, Cd and As but differ from that of Cu. EDI values for these metals in broiler breasts were far below the corresponding provisional tolerable daily intake values. THQ and HI were well below 1, indicating that there were no non-carcinogenic health risks for residents. The TCR from Pb was negligible in different age groups and the TCR of children exposed to As and Cd were acceptable. However, due to the non-degradability and bioaccumulation of metals, it is recommended that children, especially female children, should be the focus of future long-term surveillance when assessing the carcinogenicity of these metals.

Fluoride exposure and its potential health risk assessment through ingestion of food in the mica mining areas of Jharkhand, India

The study was taken up to assess the fluoride concentration in the plant and animal based food items (cereals, pulses, vegetables, milk, chicken, egg and fish) in the vicinity of mica mining areas of Jharkhand which is rich in fluoride bearing minerals like biotite, muscovite, apatite, etc. The highest fluoride concentrations were observed in the wheat and chicken samples amongst the plant and animal origin foods, respectively. The leafy vegetables accumulated higher fluoride content as compared to other vegetables. The estimated daily intake (EDI) exceeded the Provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI) of fluoride of 0.04 mg/kg/day in some of the wheat and rice samples. For the assessment of non-carcinogenic risk of fluoride, Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Hazard Indices (HI) were calculated as per United States Environmental Protection Agency methodology. The HQ of wheat and rice were highest amongst all the food items and contributed about 69% of the total risk. The hazard index (HI) for the adult population in view of the content of fluoride in the food samples ranged from 0.409 to 3.04 considering all the locations. HI exceeded unity in 60% of the locations, indicating non-carcinogenic risk to the populace. Higher HIs were assessed in the locations under the influence of mica mining activities.

Daily Dose Standardization Based on Essential and Nonessential Trace Element Presence in Berberis baluchistanica Ahrendt Bark, Leaf, and Root.

Medicinal plants have great importance to the consumer health, as beside beneficial compounds, plants can accumulate essential and nonessential metals from soil and surrounding environments, leading to consumer health risks. Assuming this, the present study is aimed at evaluating the elemental composition and daily dose standardization based on essential and nonessential trace element presence in of bark, leaves, and roots of Berberis baluchistanica Ahrendt, a common medicinal plant used as a folk medicine in the region. Atomic absorption and flame emission spectroscopy were performed to analyze the presence of essential and nonessential elements manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), sodium (Na), and potassium (K). Among the essential elements, K was present at high concentrations in the bark (8926.98 ± 0.32 μg/g), leaves (7922.77 ± 0.42 μg/g), and roots (6668.5 ± 0.96 μg/g) of the plant. The estimated concentration of Na was higher in leaves (1782.56 ± 0.13 μg/g), followed by roots (1089.5 ± 0.71 μg/g) and bark (572.8 ± 0.62 μg/g). The Fe concentration varied in the range of 394.7 ± 0.3 μg/g in bark, 1298.3 ± 0.54 μg/g in leaves, and 1208.9 ± 0.7 μg/g in roots. The trace transition element Mn was highest in leaves (42.7 ± 0.99 μg/g), followed by roots (33.5 ± 0.94 μg/g) and bark (22 ± 1 μg/g). The Cu concentration was low, ranging from 20.1 ± 0.63 to 22.67 ± 0.7 μg/g in leaves, bark, and roots. The obtained concentration of nonessential element Pb was relatively lower than the permissible range (10 mgL–1) established by the World Health Organization. The elemental concentrations in all parts were within the set limits for provisional tolerable daily maximum intake (PTDMI) and provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI), and the hazard quotient index (HQ) was below 1 for all toxic metals. The micro and macroelemental distribution and the overall medicinal potential of any medicinal plant can be correlated for dose risk estimation, which will be useful in providing knowledge regarding the contraindication associated with folk medicines. In the present study, based on the elemental composition, it was calculated that the daily safe dose for Berberis baluchistanica is approximately 2-5 g/day of raw powder for an adult, which must not be exceeded to this safe range.