Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake Research Articles

Health Hazard Assessment Due to Slimming Medicinal Plant Intake

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 80% of people rely on medicinal plants for their primary health needs. Traditional medicine's principal benefits are their vast population knowledge, low severe adverse effects rate, low cost, and the lack of a medical prescription to use them. While obesity has become a global health issue, an increase in finding cheap and fast ways to lose weight escalates medicinal herbs' use for this purpose, both in dietary supplements or in teas. At the same time that Brazil aims to expand traditional medicine, reports regarding toxicology and poisoning put natural products' safety in check. Plants can accumulate heavy metals and metalloids leading to health risks; however, there is a lack of information on that matter, possibly due to a lack of international standardization regarding elemental contamination - this study aimed to determine metal and metalloid concentrations in slimming medicinal plants and their respective teas and evaluate their safety consumption. Metal and metalloid content were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). All plants and teas were within the set limits for tolerable upper intake level (UL), provisional tolerable daily maximum intake (PTDMI), and provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). The hazard quotient index (HQ) was above 1 for almost all plants, and the Hibiscus sabdariffa tea regarding aluminum content. The arsenic level was above the Brazilian Pharmacopeia limit in natura plants demonstrating risk in their consumption. Some herbs also presented detection for elements with no safety limits set, such as lead, cadmium, and arsenic, which could mark as a red flag for consumption once their security intake is not precise yet.

Trophic transfer and dietary exposure risk of mercury in aquatic organisms from urbanized coastal ecosystems

In this study, 26 surface seawater samples, 26 surface sediment samples and 114 organisms were collected to study the trophic transfer and dietary exposure risk of mercury (Hg) in organisms from the Jiaozhou Bay, which is a typical semi-enclosed urbanized bay. The total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations did not exceed the threshold limits and performed as: fish > crustaceans > mollusks. The trophic level values (TLs) were less than 3 in all the groups, indicating simple structure of food chain. With the increasing δ15N value, THg and MeHg were significantly biomagnified in the mollusks and fish but not in the crustaceans. In addition, the bioaccumulation and biomagnification of MeHg were higher than inorganic mercury (IHg) in the aquatic food chain. Target hazard quotient (THQ) and provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) indicated that Hg exposure via consumption of seafood from the Jiaozhou Bay did not pose significant health risks for general population. Consuming fish will face the higher health risk than crustaceans and mollusks, especially in urban regions. Moreover, the risk of MeHg caused by intaking seafood deserved more attention. Trophic transfer function (TTF) explicated the transfer of Hg in the ecosystem and higher trophic transfer efficiency of MeHg than IHg. TTF interpreted the terrestrial input of Hg should be controlled to ensure the safety of consuming seafood from the Jiaozhou Bay.

Determination of chemical elements in rice from Singapore markets: Distribution, estimated intake and differentiation of rice varieties

Concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Pb, Se and Zn were determined in polished and husked rice samples purchased from Singapore markets to estimate nutritional risk by their estimated weekly intakes (EWIs). The elemental distribution in rice grain was studied using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and a principal component analysis was performed to investigate the relationships between the variables (total element concentration) in a multidimensional space. Except for Cd and Se, the median concentration of analytes for husked grains was higher than in polished grains. Rice samples with As concentration higher than 198 μg kg−1 were submitted to speciation analysis, and inorganic-As found in grains ranged from 41 to 87 % of the total As. Calculated EWIs for essential elements were lower than the Recommended Dietary Allowance, while the EWIs for non-essential elements were below the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake. Nevertheless, our results demonstrate that the presence of toxic elements in rice, especially As, must be carefully monitored. It was found a significantly low concentration levels of essential elements in most of the samples analyzed, highlighting the relevance of biofortification strategies to mitigate hidden hunger. Furthermore, the mineral profile obtained from the samples allowed discrimination of rice samples according to farming practice, grain processing and country of origin using principal component analysis and discriminant function analysis.

Chemical Forms of Mercury in Blue Marlin Billfish: Implications for Human Exposure

Although fish is an important source of nutrients, including some of the healthiest proteins, long-chain fatty acids, and essential selenium, species at the top of the food chain frequently contain large amounts of toxic mercury (Hg). The provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of Hg from fish consumption is calculated from the total concentration of Hg and assuming that all Hg is speciated as organic methylmercury (MeHg). Using high energy-resolution X-ray absorption near-edge structure (HR-XANES) spectroscopy, we show that blue marlin (Makaira sp.), a common top predator consumed by humans, contains high concentrations of inorganic Hg(II) complexed as 57 ± 10% Hg-tetraselenolate [Hg(Sec)4] and 43 ± 10% tiemannite (HgSe). The stable Hg–Se chemical bond likely attenuates the bioavailability of Hg and counteracts some of its health hazards to consumers. Thus, monitoring the concentration of MeHg, rather than total Hg, in top predators such as marlin would provide a more robust measure of potential Hg exposure and may be sufficient for food safety controls. The bonding of Hg atoms to four selenocysteine (Sec) residues in the Hg(Sec)4 complex severely depletes the stock of bioavailable Se, and quantification shows that blue marlin is not a chief source of dietary Se essential to selenoenzyme synthesis and activity.

Extremely Elevated Total Mercury and Methylmercury in Forage Plants in a Large-Scale Abandoned Hg Mining Site: A Potential Risk of Exposure to Grazing Animals.

Ninety-five wild forage plants (belonging to 22 species of 18 families) and their corresponding rhizosphere soil samples were collected from wastelands of a large-scale abandoned Hg mining region for total Hg (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) analysis. The forage plant communities on the wastelands were dominated by the Asteraceae, Crassulaceae, and Polygonaceae families. The THg and MeHg concentrations in the forage plants varied widely and were in the range of 0.10 to 13mg/kg and 0.19 to 23μg/kg, respectively. Shoots of Aster ageratoides showed the highest average THg concentration of 12 ± 1.1mg/kg, while those of Aster subulatus had the highest average MeHg concentrations of 7.4 ± 6.1μg/kg. Both the THg and MeHg concentrations in the aboveground plant parts exhibited positive correlations with the THg (r = 0.70, P < 0.01) and MeHg (r = 0.68, P < 0.01) concentrations in the roots; however, these were not correlated with the THg and MeHg concentrations in their rhizosphere soils. The species A. ageratoides, A. subulatus, and S. brachyotus showed strong accumulation of Hg and are of concern for herbivorous/omnivorous wildlife and feeding livestock. Taking the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) values for IHg recommended by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA in Summary and conclusions of the seventy-second meeting of the joint FAO/WHO expert committee on food additives Rome, Italy, 2010) for human dietary exposure of 4ng/g into account, the daily intake of IHg by a 65kg animal grazing on 1.0kg of forage (dry weight) would be between 190 and 13,200μg, three to five orders of magnitude higher than the permitted limit, suggesting a potential risk of exposure.

Mercury Concentrations in Four Marine Fishery Resources from Rio de Janeiro Coast, SW Atlantic, and Potential Human Health Risk Via Fish Consumption.

Mercury (Hg) contamination has caused ecological and socioeconomic problems worldwide. One of the main Hg contamination routes by the human populations is through fish ingestion. Herein, we analyzed the total Hg concentrations (THg) in highly consumed marine fish species: Brazilian flathead Percophis brasiliensis, Atlantic bigeye Priacanthus arenatus, Stripped weakfish Cynoscion guatucupa, and Jamaica weakfish C. jamaicensis. The specimens were collected from fishing landings off the Rio de Janeiro, SW Atlantic. Additionally, we calculate the estimated weekly intakes (EWI) and the maximum amount of fish (MAF) that can be safely ingested, both based on the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). The highest THg concentrations were recorded in P. brasiliensis with a mean of 340.59μg/kg (dry weight) and the lowest in P. arenatus (115.75μg/kg). THg concentrations were positively related to the δ15N ratios indicating an increase in contamination with trophic level. All samples showed THg concentrations below the established limits by Brazilian and international regulation. Hg intake via human fish consumption does not exceed the PTWI. The EWI varied from 1.41% (P. arenatus size class I) to 11.52% (P. brasiliensis class II) of the PTWI, while the estimated EWI for "fish consumers" varied between 8.35 and 68.07% PTWI. The MAF estimated for an adult (70kg) could safely consume between 1277.85 and 7075.50g/week. This study is an important baseline for monitoring and future comparisons. Therefore, it is important to maintain monitoring of mercury levels in fish species in different marine regions, especially those species most consumed by humans.

Risk Assessment of Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury on Human Health in Relation to the Consumption of Farmed Sea Bass in Italy: A Meta-Analytical Approach

A risk assessment, related to the consumption of farmed sea bass, was carried out by meta-analysis, taking into account the concentration of trace metals (Cd, Pb, Hg) reported in the literature, the estimated weekly intake (EWI), the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI), and the target hazard quotient (THQ). The concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Hg in farmed sea bass marketed in Sicily (Southern Italy) were also assessed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) to have screening data for the comparison with literature results. In any case, the results obtained by meta-analysis and by screening were lower than the pre-established legal limits for each metal. The meta-analysis results showed very low levels of Cd (0.031 μg g–1 w.w.), Pb (0.110 μg g–1 w.w.), and Hg (0.023 μg g–1 w.w.). The EWI estimation confirmed safety limits for human health (0.004, 0.015, and 0.003 μg kg–1 for Cd, Pb, and Hg, respectively). Even the THQ demonstrated that farmed sea bass represent a secure food for humans (0.0006, 0.0005, and 0.0048 for Cd, Pb, and Hg, respectively). The comparison with our screening data showed a significant difference only for the Pb levels (p &amp;lt; 0.05). The results obtained were compared with the same indexes relative to other food types (meat, cereals, vegetables, etc.). The EWI and THQ calculated were always lower than same indexes relative to other food types considered.

Total mercury in rice plant (Oryza sativa) collected from Sekinchan, Selangor, Malaysia and associated health risks

Consumption of mercury-contaminated rice could pose a potential health risk to humans. In this study, total mercury (THg) concentrations in various parts (roots, stems, leaves, and grains) of rice plant (Oryza sativa) collected from Sekinchan, Selangor, Malaysia were analysed for risk assessment. The THg concentrations in collected samples were analysed by Direct Mercury Analyzer (DMA-80). The mean concentrations found in plant parts were as follows: root, 47.01±0.42 µg/kg; stem, 6.43±1.77 µg/kg; leaf, 26.25±4.71 µg/kg; grain, 2.64±0.42 µg/kg. THg distribution in rice plants was roots &gt; leaves &gt; stems and grains. The mean THg concentration in grain (2.64±0.42 µg/kg) was below the maximum permitted proportion stipulated by Malaysian Food Regulation 1985 (50.0 µg/ kg). The estimated weekly intake (EWI) of THg through rice was 0.07±0.01 µg/kg bw/ week for 60 kg adult, below the provisional tolerable weekly intakes (PTWI) as suggested by JECFA indicating unlikely to cause impairment of public health due to consumption of rice planted in this region. However, periodical monitoring of mercury pollution in Selangor area is crucial because mercury contamination in crops could jeopardize food safety and security

Release of legacy mercury and effect of aquaculture on mercury biogeochemical cycling in highly polluted Ya-Er Lake, China

Although global mercury (Hg) emission from chlor-alkali industry is decreasing, the legacy Hg may still have potential risks due to its environmental persistence. The objective of this work is to study the biogeochemical cycling and potential risk of Hg in the Ya-Er Lake, which was heavily contaminated by historical chlor-alkali production. Higher concentrations of total Hg (THg) in Ya-Er Lake water (16.8 ± 8.4 ng L−1) and sediment (547 ± 489 ng g−1) than other lake systems were observed, reflecting serious Hg pollution in this system. Diffusion rates of Hg at sediment-water interface and budget of Hg showed that release of legacy Hg in sediment (accounting for ∼80%) dominated THg in water, and about 80% methylmercury (MeHg) of total was diffused from sediment. Significant correlations between total organic carbon (TOC) derived from aquaculture and THg diffusion and MeHg concentrations in sediment suggest that TOC plays important roles in controlling legacy Hg release and MeHg production. The actual weekly intakes of Hg via consumption of cultured catfish and wild topmouth culter were higher than the established provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of MeHg. These results indicated that although the nearby chlor-alkali plant has been shut down for three decades, the release of legacy Hg stored in the sediment still adversely affects this ecosystem. Moreover, aquaculture could enhance MeHg production and control MeHg distribution in the polluted aquatic ecosystem, potentially posing a health risk to surrounding inhabitants through consumption of fish.

Levels of Mercury, Methylmercury and Selenium in Fish: Insights into Children Food Safety.

Total mercury (THg), methylmercury (MeHg), and selenium (Se) concentrations were measured in various commercially important fish species. The benefit–risk binomial associated with these chemicals was assessed in children through the probability of exceeding the provisional tolerable weekly intakes (PTWIs) of the contaminants and the Se recommended dietary allowance (RDA). The Se:Hg molar ratios, selenium health benefit values (HBVSe), and monthly consumption rate limits (CRmm) for each species were also calculated. THg and Se were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Shimadzu, Milan, Italy), while MeHg was determined by Trace Ultra gas chromatograph connected with a PolarisQ MS (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA). None of the analyzed fish had Hg levels above the European Community regulatory limits, while most large predators had MeHg levels over the threshold concentration set by US EPA. The estimated weekly intakes of THg and MeHg exceeded in many cases the PTWIs and the Se estimated daily intakes were provided from 0.71% to 2.75% of the RDA. Se:Hg molar ratios above 1 and positive HBVSe index suggested that Se in fish could be enough to alleviate the potential toxic effect of Hg. However, high-risk groups as children should consume fish in moderation because a large consumption pattern, especially of swordfish and tunas, might be of concern for health.

Nitrate, nitrite, and lead contamination in leafy vegetables collected from local market sites of Go Vap district, Ho Chi Minh City

AbstractLead, nitrate, and nitrite are among the major contaminants of vegetables. These concentrations appraise the quality characteristic of vegetables. Governments and regulators has control the level of nitrate, nitrite, and lead in vegetables to protect the human health. The present study was initiated to investigate the levels of these contaminants in five leafy vegetables in local market (Brassica juncea, Brassica integrifolia, Lactuca sativa, Ipomoea aquatica, and Nasturtium officinale). The vegetable species can be listed by decreasing nitrate content as follows: Lactuca sativa &gt; Nasturtium officinale &gt; Ipomoea aquatica &gt; Brassica integrifolia &gt; Brassica juncea. The nitrite content in leafy vegetables was significantly lower than nitrate content. Among observed vegetables, highest concentration of lead is in Ipomoea aquatica (0.200±0.011 mg/L), whereas lead content in Lactuca sativa and Nasturtium officinale were not detected. In addition, the Pb levels in the leafy vegetables were not correlated with nitrate concentration. Based on the results of our investigation, the approximate daily intake (DI) of NO3–, NO2– and Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) of lead were assessed to human health in consuming the observed leafy vegetables.

Demographic and geographic patterns of cetacean-based food product consumption and potential mercury exposure within a Caribbean whaling community

Exposure to mercury (Hg), especially methylmercury (MeHg), through the consumption of seafood is a major public health concern. St. Vincent & the Grenadines (Eastern Caribbean) supports two related whaling operations, which produce food from cetaceans for human consumption. Recent data suggest that Hg concentrations in cetacean tissue samples exceed recommended consumption limits. Our objective was to determine the role of cetacean-based food products in the diet of the Vincentian population as a proxy for exposure to MeHg using interview surveys (n = 921). Based upon provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) guidelines for MeHg from the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), we determined safe weekly consumption amounts for specific cetacean-based food products, based upon reported consumption patterns. We found cetacean-based food products to be included in the diet of 77.4% of respondents. Respondents’ gender and geographical home region are the most important factors influencing cetacean consumption. Frequency and amount of consumption vary, but generally exceed calculated safe weekly limits. The consumption of cetacean-based food products may represent a public health risk, as a large portion of the population may be exposed to high MeHg concentrations.

Levels of Trace Elements in Human Breast Milk in Jordan: a Comparison with Infant Formula Milk Powder.

Human breast milk and infant formula milk powder (IFMP) are the main nutritional sources for infants. In the literature, there is a lack of studies concerning levels of trace elements in human milk and IMP in Jordan. The aim of this research was the determination of levels of 24 trace elements in human breast milk from Jordanian mothers (n = 76) and IFMP from Jordanian market (n = 22). Elements were classified to essential (Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Ni, Cr, Mo, Co, and Se), non-essential (Al, Ag, Ba, Bi, Cs, Ga, Li, Rb, Sr, U, and V), and potentially toxic (As, Cd, and Pb). Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) following a microwave digestion of samples with concentrated nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide was performed. Our results featured levels of each targeted element in human milk and IFMP (mean, standard deviation (SD), median, and range). Statistical analysis included a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson's correlations. A sample toxicological analysis study for toxic elements As, Cd, and Pb was performed, and results were inspected. Levels of most elements including toxic elements are larger than in human milk samples, and comparable to in IFPMs to literature results. Mean levels of majority of the elements (17 out of 24) in human milk were significantly different than respective means in IFMP solutions. Positive correlation was observed between total toxic elements and Al, Cu, and Fe in human milk samples. Results of toxicological analysis demonstrated that most of IFMP samples do not represent a health hazard to infants regarding As, Cd, and Pb. The same applies for Cd in human milk samples. However, levels of As and Pb in 70% of human milk samples exceed the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) for As and Pb.

Characterization and risk assessment of arsenic contamination in soil-plant (vegetable) system and its mitigation through water harvesting and organic amendment.

Field experiments with vegetables [cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea)] were conducted at geogenically arsenic-contaminated Ghentugachi village in West Bengal, India, for two consecutive years to study arsenic accumulation by the selected vegetables and to explore the efficiencies of use of harvested/harnessed water and organic amendments (Mustard Cake, Vermicompost and Farm Yard Manure) in reducing arsenic load in soil-plant system. Results revealed that arsenic accumulations in the cauliflower head, spinach leaf and tomato fruit were in the range of 0.15-0.17, 2.73-3.00 and 0.08mgkg-1. Organic amendment and pond water irrigation when applied either separately or together were found to be effective in reducing arsenic contamination in soil-plant system compared to irrigation with shallow tube well-drafted underground water. Vermicompost remained most successful among the organic amendments. Conjunctive use of surface (pond) and ground water also significantly reduced the level of arsenic in the system. The risk of dietary intake of arsenic through the selected vegetables was computed through % Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake, Hazard Quotient and Target Cancer Risk. Cauliflower and tomato were found safe in the individual contribution to food chain, while consumption of spinach leaf (possessing 10.4-22.6% more arsenic than maximum tolerable limits) remained unsafe in all dietary risk measures.

Lead, cadmium, and aluminum in raw bovine milk: Residue level, estimated intake, and fate during artisanal dairy manufacture.

Objective:The goal of this study was to determine the levels of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and aluminum (Al) in raw bovine milk. Milk consumption was used to calculate the estimated weekly intake (EWI), provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI), and target hazard quotient (THQ) for individuals. Metal distribution in dairy products and byproducts was studied as a result of artisanal processing.Material and Methods:Seventy-five raw bovine milk samples were collected from artisanal producers in Alexandria city, West Delta, Egypt, and analyzed using the atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The effect of artisanal dairy processing on metal distribution was studied.Results:The averages of Pb, Cd, and Al in milk samples were 45.06, 4.77, and 2.93 μg/l, with 13.33% and 1.33% of analyzed samples had Pb and Al levels higher than the permissible limits, respectively. The EWI values of Pb, Cd, and Al were 1.050, 0.111, and 0.068 μg/kg body weight, which contributed to about 4.20%, 1.59%, and 0.97% from the PTWI, respectively. The THQ of three metals was <1, which referred to safe consumption. Metal residues were heavily concentrated in artisanal cheese and yogurt after coagulation and fermentation compared with other dairy products. Accordingly, the maximum average and reduction values of Pb, Cd, and Al were 745.87, 51.99, and 71.58 μg/l and −72.87%, −56.5%, and −40.96% in Damietta cheese; 535.51, 40.11, and 62.43 μg/l and −24.11%, −20.74%, and −22.94%) in Kareish cheese; and 418.42, 31.26, and 50.66 μg/l and 3.02%, 5.90%, and 0.27% in yogurt, respectively.Conclusions:The results indicated that consumption of raw bovine milk did not pose a risk to Alexandria citizens. Metal concentration increased in artisanal cheese and yogurt because of metal bio-gathering after coagulation and fermentation. Fat separation, churning, and boiling milk might keep metal concentration in dairy products and byproducts at lower levels than milk. Thus, they are suggested to be applied especially in highly contaminated areas.

Observations on the levels of total mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se) in species common to the artisanal fisheries of Seychelles

Exposure to mercury (Hg) in Seychelles is expected to be high owing to the large amounts of fish regularly consumed. In spite of this consumption, a recent long-term study of child development found no evidence that higher prenatal exposure to Hg increases the risk of neurological disorders. To identify the major sources of mercury in the diets of Seychellois fish consumers, 16 species of fish common to local markets were tested for total Hg. Selenium (Se), which may act as an antidote to Hg toxicity, was also measured. Mercury and selenium were measured using standardised laboratory procedures. The average total Hg concentration across all species was 0.07mg/kg while the Se concentrations averaged 0.29mg/kg. Based on the pooled species dataset, there was no correlation between total Hg and Se concentrations, suggesting that joint bioaccumulation of these elements does not occur in the reef fishes tested. Barracuda (Sphyraena jello) had the highest concentration of Hg (0.36mg/kg), a level that was below European Union guidelines. Although Seychellois traditionally eat a large amount of fish, barracuda would need to be consumed more than 5 times a week for FAO/WHO Total Hg Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) limits to be exceeded, an unusual rate of consumption. Further investigations are needed to assess the risks posed to the population through the consumption of marine fish and fish products.

Assessment of human health risk due to potentially toxic elements intake via consumption of Egyptian rice-based and wheat-based baby cereals

ABSTRACT Commercially available baby cereals have become an important part of the diet of many infants and toddlers because of their mineral and vitamin content that fulfils the dietary requirements of these target groups. The presence of contaminants such as metals in infant formulas may pose health risks for children. Therefore, cumulative exposure from such formulas should not exceed the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) for toxic metals as set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for essential trace elements. In this study, analysis of 28 samples covering 12 different brands of popular baby cereals collected from different Egyptian markets to assess whether the intake complied with the upper permissible levels for tested metals was performed. Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP OES) coupled with ultrasonic nebuliser unit was optimised, validated and applied in the routine method of analysis for the determination of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), antimony (Sb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), tin (Sn), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn) and nickel (Ni) in different baby cereal samples. The results showed that all analysed samples were free from any detectable amount of Cr, Pb and Sb, while the mean concentrations, in mg/kg (dry weight), were as follows: 3.30 (Mn), 47.40 (Fe), 0.02 (Cd), 1.00 (Cu) and 11.4 (Zn). The human health risk assessment was evaluated for daily and weekly intakes, the hazard quotient and the hazard index. The results of the health risk values were found to be significantly below the recommended tolerable levels and acceptable guideline values, which indicated that there are no carcinogenic effects may occur.

Dietary exposure assessment of cadmium, arsenic, and lead in market rice from Sri Lanka.

Rice is frequently reported to be contaminated with heavy metals (HMs); thus, the human health risks from its consumption have received increasing attention. A total of 165 commercial rice samples from Sri Lanka were collected to determine their cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and lead (Pb) concentrations. The exposure risk for Sri Lankans from the estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of these toxicants was assessed. Simultaneously, non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were evaluated using hazard quotients (HQs) and the hazard index (HI). The results revealed that the average levels of Cd, As, and Pb in commercial rice were 0.080 ± 0.130, 0.077 ± 0.040, and 0.031 ± 0.050mg/kg, respectively, with ranges of 0.003-0.727, 0.019-0.217, and 0.001-0.345mg/kg (expressed on a dry weight basis), respectively. The average EDIs of Cd, inorganic As (iAs), and Pb were 0.772, 0.490, and 0.306μg/kg body weight (bw)/day, respectively; these were below provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) values recommended by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), but iAs was above the recommended reference doses (RfDs) recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). However, approximately 25% and 75% of the Cd and iAs HQs for the Sri Lankan population, respectively, were greater than 1, suggesting a potential health risk, whereas the HQs for Pb was less than 1. Considering the additive effect, HI values of the P90, P95, P97.5, and P99 percentiles would reach 4.773, 6.458, 8.392, and 11.614, implying that intake of the combined metals might result in potential health risks.

Six Years Monitoring of the Promising Low Grain-Cd Accumulating Rice, RD15 Cultivar Grown on Cd-contaminated Paddy Soils

The experiment was conducted on the Cd-contaminated paddy field, two of Thai rice cultivars, the prevailing KDML105 and RD15 were included together with determining grain-Cd accumulation. The results had revealed that the RD15 contained Cd in grains not only lower than KDML105 but also lower than the critical level as proposed by Codex (0.4 mg kg-1 polished rice). Thus, the RD15 was selected as the promising low grain-Cd accumulating rice cultivar, and farmers were encouraged to grow this cultivar. The grains of prevailing and promising rice cultivars were annually collected for Cd analysis. After six-years monitoring, the results revealed that the average concentration of Cd in KDML105 was 0.658 mg kg-1, which exceeded the critical level. On the other hand, the average concentration observed in RD15 (0.127 mg kg-1) was lower than the critical level. The human dietary intake of Cd through rice consumption was calculated, comparing to the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) as adopted by FAO/WHO (7 ug Cd kg-1 BW per week), the PTWI of KDML105 was far exceeded the critical level. Contrary, the RD15 had the PTWI lower than the critical level. Present results indicated that, by cultivating RD15 the promising low-grain Cd cultivar, Cd intake together with health risk of human could be reduced.

Heavy Metals and PAHs in Meat, Milk, and Seafood From Augusta Area (Southern Italy): Contamination Levels, Dietary Intake, and Human Exposure Assessment.

Heavy metals and PAHs were measured in animal foodstuffs from Augusta-Melilli-Priolo area in order to evaluate the potential human health risk associated to their consumption. All heavy metals were detected in seafood products while most of them were <LOD in beef, pork and milks samples. Particularly, seafood products registered higher values of total arsenic (As), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) than other food categories, while beef and pork showed higher content of zinc (Zn). Cadmium (Cd) and Pb were below the tolerable limits reported by the European Union in foodstuffs (1) while mercury exceed the threshold value in seafood products. Among the PAHs, chrysene (Chr) was detected in all the terrestrial foodstuffs with higher concentrations found in raw milks. Small quantity of benz(a)anthracene (BaA) were also found in this food. The health risk for consumers was assessed for five age categories of consumers calculating the estimated weekly intake (EWI), the target hazard quotient (THQ) and the cancer risk (CR) for each contaminant. Moreover, the margin of exposure (MOE) was estimated for PAHs. The EWIHg related to seafood products intake exceeded the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) recommended by the European Food Safety Authority. The THQHg was >1 for baby, children and teenagers, indicating a non-carcinogenic risk for these age categories by seafood ingestion. The CRAs overcame 1*10−5 for almost age categories (except “baby”) and for elderly, by seafood and beef ingestions respectively. Moreover, the MOE for PAHs showed a certain cancer risk for “baby” related to cow milk ingestion.