98 research outputs found
Global sourcing of low-inorganic arsenic rice grain
ArtĂculo escrito por un elevado nĂșmero de autores, solo se referencia el que aparece en primer lugar, el nombre del grupo de colaboraciĂłn, si lo hubiere, y los autores pertenecientes a la UAMArsenic in rice grain is dominated by two species: the carcinogen inorganic arsenic (the sum of arsenate and arsenite) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA). Rice is the dominant source of inorganic arsenic into the human diet. As such, there is a need to identify sources of low-inorganic arsenic rice globally. Here we surveyed polished (white) rice across representative regions of rice production globally for arsenic speciation. In total 1180 samples were analysed from 29 distinct sampling zones, across 6 continents. For inorganic arsenic the global x~ was 66 ÎŒg/kg, and for DMA this figure was 21 ÎŒg/kg. DMA was more variable, ranging from < 2 to 690 ÎŒg/kg, while inorganic arsenic ranged from < 2 to 399 ÎŒg/kg. It was found that inorganic arsenic dominated when grain sum of species was < 100 ÎŒg/kg, with DMA dominating at higher concentrations. There was considerable regional variance in grain arsenic speciation, particularly in DMA where temperate production regions had higher concentrations. Inorganic arsenic concentrations were relatively consistent across temperate, subtropical and northern hemisphere tropical regions. It was only in southern hemisphere tropical regions, in the eastern hemisphere that low-grain inorganic arsenic is found, namely East Africa (x~ < 10 ÎŒg/kg) and the Southern Indonesian islands (x~ < 20 ÎŒg/kg). Southern hemisphere South American rice was universally high in inorganic arsenic, the reason for which needs further exploratio
Inorganic arsenic in rice-based products for infants and young children
Inorganic arsenic (Asi) is a chronic, non-threshold carcinogen. Rice and rice-based products can be the major source of Asi for many subpopulations. Baby rice, rice cereals and rice crackers are widely used to feed infants and young children. The Asi concentration in rice-based products may pose a health risk for infants and young children. Asi concentration was determined in rice-based products produced in the European Union and risk assessment associated with the consumption of these products by infants and young children, and compared to an identical US FDA survey. There are currently no European Union or United States of America regulations applicable to Asi in food. However, this study suggests that the samples evaluated may introduce significant concentration of Asi into infantsâ and young childrenâs diets. Thus, there is an urgent need for regulatory limits on Asi in food, especially for baby rice-based products
Using elemental concentrations and dust loadings as metrics of human exposure to potentially toxic elements in kindergarten indoor dust
Due to the hand-to-mouth activities frequently observed among the
youngest children, they are likely to ingest higher amounts of indoor dust than
adults. Since pre-schoolers are prone to exposure to potentially toxic elements
(PTEs) through the ingestion route, characterising human exposure within
kindergarten microenvironments is paramount for children who spend
considerable time in school. Ergo, a study encompassing five kindergartens in an
industrial city was performed. Indoor dust samples were collected from the
kindergartens. The present study reports dust metal concentrations and metal
loadings to estimate indoor exposure to PTEs. Total concentrations of chromium
(Cr), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) were
determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) in the
of the <63 ÎŒm and <250 ÎŒm particle size fractions of the indoor dust. The results
show that the elemental loadings vary widely among the different kindergartens
but are consistently higher in the finer dust size fraction. Non-parametric analysis
(Spearman's rank-order correlation) shows strong and significant (p<0.001)
positive correlations between total dust loading - dust elemental loading.
Relatively strong correlations were also obtained between elemental loadings
and elemental concentrations, but the relationship is only significant for Ni and
Pb. The strong correlation (rs= 0.73) between Pb concentration and dust Pb
loading suggests that total dust loading has a greater influence on dust Pb
loading. The results suggest a negligible influence of dust mass over the dust
elemental loading for elements such as Cd, Co, Cr and As
Geographical variation in inorganic arsenic in paddy field samples and commercial rice from the Iberian Peninsula
This study investigated total arsenic and arsenic speciation in rice using ion chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (IC-ICP-MS), covering the main rice-growing regions of the Iberian Peninsula in Europe. The main arsenic species found were inorganic and dimethylarsinic acid. Samples surveyed were soil, shoots and field-collected rice grain. From this information soil to plant arsenic transfer was investigated plus the distribution of arsenic in rice across the geographical regions of Spain and Portugal. Commercial polished rice was also obtained from each region and tested for arsenic speciation, showing a positive correlation with field-obtained rice grain. Commercial polished rice had the lowest i-As content in Andalucia, Murcia and Valencia while Extremadura had the highest concentrations. About 26% of commercial rice samples exceeded the permissible concentration for infant food production as governed by the European Commission. Some cadmium data is also presented, available with ICP-MS analyses, and show low concentration in rice samples.Peer Reviewe
Urinary Arsenic Speciation in Children and Pregnant Women from Spain
Inorganic arsenic (i-As) is a non-threshold human carcinogen
that has been associated with several adverse health outcomes.
Exposure to i-As is of particular concern among pregnant women,
infants and children, as they are specifically vulnerable to the
adverse health effects of i-As, and in utero and early-life
exposure, even low to moderate levels of i-As, may have a marked
effect throughout the lifespan. Ion chromatography-mass
spectrometry detection (IC-ICP-MS) was used to analyse urinary
arsenic speciation, as an exposure biomarker, in samples of
4-year-old children with relatively low-level arsenic exposure
living in different regions in Spain including Asturias,
Gipuzkoa, Sabadell and Valencia. The profile of arsenic
metabolites in urine was also determined in samples taken during
pregnancy (1st trimester) and in the children from Valencia of 7
years old. The median of the main arsenic species found in the
4-year-old children was 9.71 mug/l (arsenobetaine-AsB), 3.97
mug/l (dimethylarsinic acid-DMA), 0.44 mug/l (monomethylarsonic
acid-MMA) and 0.35 mug/l (i-As). Statistically significant
differences were found in urinary AsB, MMA and i-As according to
the study regions in the 4-year-old, and also in DMA among
pregnant women and their children. Spearman's correlation
coefficient among urinary arsenic metabolites was calculated,
and, in general, a strong methylation capacity to methylate i-As
to MMA was observed
Urinary Arsenic Speciation in Children and Pregnant Women from Spain
Inorganic arsenic (i-As) is a non-threshold human carcinogen that has been associated with several adverse health outcomes. Exposure to i-As is of particular concern among pregnant women, infants and children, as
they are specifically vulnerable to the adverse health effects of i-As, and in utero and early-life exposure, even low to moderate levels of i-As, may have a marked effect throughout the lifespan. Ion chromatography-mass spectrometry detection (IC-ICP-MS) was used to analyse urinary arsenic speciation, as an exposure biomarker, in samples of 4-year-old children with relatively low-level arsenic exposure living in different regions in Spain
including Asturias, Gipuzkoa, Sabadell and Valencia. The profile of arsenic metabolites in urine was also determined in samples taken during pregnancy (1st trimester) and in the children from Valencia of 7 years old. The median of the main arsenic species found in the 4-year-old children was 9.71 lg/l (arsenobetaineâAsB), 3.97 lg/l (dimethylarsinic acidâDMA), 0.44 lg/l (monomethylarsonic acidâMMA) and 0.35 lg/l (i-As). Statistically significant differences were found in urinary AsB, MMA and i-As according to the study regions in the 4-year-old, and also in DMA among pregnant women and their children. Spearmanâs correlation coefficient among urinary arsenic metabolites was calculated, and, in general, a strong methylation capacity to methylate i-As to MMA was observed
Global sourcing of low-inorganic arsenic rice grain
Arsenic in rice grain is dominated by two species: the carcinogen inorganic arsenic (the sum of arsenate and arsenite) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA). Rice is the dominant source of inorganic arsenic into the human diet. As such, there is a need to identify sources of low-inorganic arsenic rice globally. Here we surveyed polished (white) rice across representative regions of rice production globally for arsenic speciation. In total 1180 samples were analysed from 29 distinct sampling zones, across 6 continents. For inorganic arsenic the global x ~
x~
was 66 ÎŒg/kg, and for DMA this figure was 21 ÎŒg/kg. DMA was more variable, ranging from <â2 to 690 ÎŒg/kg, while inorganic arsenic ranged fromâ<â2 to 399 ÎŒg/kg. It was found that inorganic arsenic dominated when grain sum of species was <â100 ÎŒg/kg, with DMA dominating at higher concentrations. There was considerable regional variance in grain arsenic speciation, particularly in DMA where temperate production regions had higher concentrations. Inorganic arsenic concentrations were relatively consistent across temperate, subtropical and northern hemisphere tropical regions. It was only in southern hemisphere tropical regions, in the eastern hemisphere that low-grain inorganic arsenic is found, namely East Africa (x ~
x~
â<â10 ÎŒg/kg) and the Southern Indonesian islands (x ~
x~
â<â20 ÎŒg/kg). Southern hemisphere South American rice was universally high in inorganic arsenic, the reason for which needs further exploration
Assessing the legacy of red mud pollution in a shallow freshwater lake: arsenic accumulation and speciation in macrophytes
Little is known about long-term ecological responses in lakes following red mud pollution. Among red mud contaminants, arsenic (As) is of considerable concern. Determination of the species of As accumulated in aquatic organisms provides important information about the biogeochemical cycling of the element and transfer through the aquatic food-web to higher organisms. We used coupled ion chromatography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to assess As speciation in tissues of five macrophyte taxa in Kinghorn Loch, U.K., 30 years following the diversion of red mud pollution from the lake. Toxic inorganic As was the dominant species in the studied macrophytes, with As species concentrations varying with macrophyte taxon and tissue type. The highest As content measured in roots of Persicaria amphibia (L.) Gray (87.2 mg kgâ1) greatly exceeded the 3â10 mg kgâ1 range suggested as a potential phytotoxic level. Accumulation of toxic As species by plants suggested toxicological risk to higher organisms known to utilize macrophytes as a food source
Rice grain cadmium concentrations in the global supply-chain
One of cadmiumâs major exposure routes to humans is through rice consumption. The concentrations of cadmium in the global polished (white), market rice supply-chain were assessed in 2270 samples, purchased from retailers across 32 countries, encompassing 6 continents. It was found on a global basis that East Africa had the lowest cadmium with a median for both Malawi and Tanzania at 4.9 ÎŒg/kg, an order of magnitude lower than the highest country, China with a median at 69.3 ÎŒg/kg. The Americas were typically low in cadmium, but the Indian sub-continent was universally elevated. In particular certain regions of Bangladesh had high cadmium, that when combined with the high daily consumption rate of rice of that country, leads to high cadmium exposures. Concentrations of cadmium were compared to the European Standard for polished rice of 200 ÎŒg/kg and 5% of the global supply-chain exceeded this threshold. For the stricter standard of 40 ÎŒg/kg for processed infant foods, for which rice can comprise up to 100% by composition (such as rice porridges, puffed rice cereal and cakes), 25% of rice would not be suitable for making pure rice baby foods. Given that rice is also elevated in inorganic arsenic, the only region of the world where both inorganic arsenic and cadmium were low in grain was East Africa
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