This paper presents results of heavy metals determination in infant foods available in Poland during a monitoring programme in 2009-13. This study investigated levels of lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury in infant formulae and other infant foods intended for consumption during the first 6 to 12 months of life, and an intake of heavy metals was assessed. Food consumption data based on the artificial feeding scheme of infants established by the Mother and Child Institute in Poland were taken into account to estimate dietary exposure. The reported levels of elements in infant foods are comparable with contamination of such products in other countries. The mean values for lead do not exceed 0.013 mg/kg (90 th percentile, 0.028 mg/kg). Lead levels in infant formulae (as sold, mainly powder) did not exceed 0.010 mg/kg, while mean contamination was 0.005 mg/kg. The highest mean cadmium level of 0.010 mg/kg was reported in vegetable meal (90 th percentile, 0.017 mg/kg); in infant formulae (undiluted) milk-based it was below 0.003 mg/kg, and for soya-based it was 0.009 mg/kg. Arsenic and mercury contents -highest in fish-based infant foods -did not exceed 0.18 mg/kg and 0.013 mg/kg, respectively. In rice products for infants arsenic did not exceed 0.14 mg/kg. The estimated mean lead exposure was from 0.09 μg/kg b.w. per day for 6-month-old infants to 0.53 μg/kg b.w. per day for 1-year-old children, which was approximately 17% and equal to the respective Benchmark Dose Lower Confidence Limit (BMDL 01 ) established by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) at 0.50 μg/kg b.w. per day. Mean exposure to cadmium ranges from 0.02 to 0.4 μg/kg b.w. per day, and for 12-month-old infants can slightly exceed the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) value established by EFSA. Dietary cadmium intake represents 2.5-47% of the provisional tolerable monthly intake (PTMI) value established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee of Food Additives (JECFA). Intake of arsenic and mercury was below respective reference value. Calculated mean dietary exposure to arsenic for children under 1 year old was between 0.11 and 0.99 μg/kg b.w. per day (4-33% BMDL 0.5 value), and to methylmercury 0.01-0.08 μg/kg b.w. per day (7-41% of the TWI value for methylmercury).

No abstract

Background. One of the important source of food contamination with elements harmful to human health such as lead or cadmium is migration from the articles intended to come into contact with food. Ceramic and glass articles can also be a source of zinc and copper which compounds are used during the production process of vessels. Objective. Determination of migration of lead, cadmium, zinc and copper from ceramic and glass wares available on the market in Poland and assessment of consumer exposure to these elements. Material and methods. Ceramic and glass articles which were available on the retail market and mainly produced in China were tested for release of lead, cadmium, zinc and copper. Samples for testing were prepared in accordance with European Standards: EN 1388-1 and EN 1388-2 and the migration of elements into a food simulant (4% acetic acid) was measured using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Validated and accredited methods according to EN ISO/ IEC 17025:2005 meeting the criteria set in the legislation were applied. Exposure assessment was performed taking into account actual reference doses introduced by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). Results. 736 samples of ceramic and glass wares were tested. Among investigated samples for migration of lead 82% of results were below limit of quantification (LOQ = 0.1 mg/L) of the analytical method used. For cadmium zinc and copper results below LOQ were found in 94%, 79% and 100% tested samples, respectively (Cd LOQ = 0.01mg/L; Zn LOQ = 0.05 mg/L; Cu LOQ = 0.03 mg/L). Only one sample release lead in amount higher than limit set in Polish Standard PN-B-13210:1997, it was rim of the glass mug and migration value was 4.81 mg/article. In case of cadmium there were two samples which exceeded permissible migration limit, it was flat ceramic dish and the rim of the glass mug, migration values were: 0.14 mg/dm 2 and 0.42 mg/article respectively. The most measurable results (above LOQ) in case of lead and cadmium were for the samples of ceramic and glass drinking vessels. Quantifiable amounts of zinc were found also in other groups of articles tested: flat and deep ceramic dishes. None of the tested articles released copper in amount higher than LOQ value. The risk assessment showed that lead and cadmium exposure for some of the samples far exceed the reference doses. For children, assuming a single use only of these vessels, these doses may be exceeded: in the case of lead, 69 times and in the case of cadmium, 8 times. Conclusions. It is the urgent need to introduce requirements into the applicable legislation for the rim area of drinking ceramic and glass vessels to reduce exposure especially by the most vulnerable groups of population such as children.

Natural medicinal resources are a country’s natural wealth. Natural medicinal waters, medicinal gases, and peloids have many properties that enable their use in the treatment of gastrointestinal, circulatory, respiratory, bone and joint, and skin and soft tissue disorders. Balneotherapy can be also applicable in prevention of many diseases and rehabilitation. At present, because there are several chemicals of synthetic origin, there is a need to search for nonpharmacological approaches and explore natural healing sources, which better fit the human body. Compared to synthetic drugs, these resources rarely show side effects, which increases the comfort of therapy. The use of natural medicinal resources in the form of treatments in health resort medicine centers under the supervision of balneologists, combined with the healing properties of the climate, contributes not only to the reduction of treatment time for many diseases but also to improvement of therapy’s results. The article discusses natural medicinal resources and some of their therapeutic applications.

Chemical composition, organoleptic and physicochemical properties of natural groundwaters are varied and dependent on their geological environment. Determining the basic organoleptic properties – such as colour, taste, odour – as well as physical properties – such as electrical conductivity or redox potential – allow us to assess the stability of water chemical composition. Based on their origin, groundwaters can be divided into infiltration, as well as condensation, juvenile, metamorphic and relic groundwaters, which are currently of lesser value. Groundwaters sourced in Poland belong to various chemical types and play an important role in balneotherapy and the bottling industry. Of particular importance are thermal, bicarbonate, chloride or sulphate type waters. There is also a growing interest in humic waters found in the Wielkopolska region.