Concentrations of Arsenic, Cadmium, Mercury, and Lead in Common Foods and Estimated Daily Intake by Children, Adolescents, Adults, and Seniors of Catalonia, Spain

Abstract

This study was designed to estimate the dietary intake of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) by the general population of Catalonia, Spain. The concentrations of these elements were determined in food samples randomly acquired in seven cities of Catalonia between June and August 2000. A total of 11 food groups were included in the study. As, Cd, Hg, and Pb levels were measured by ICP-MS and AAS. The dietary intake of these elements was determined by a total diet study. Calculations were carried out on the basis of recent data on the consumption of the selected food items. Trace element intake was estimated for five population groups: children, adolescents, male and female adults, and seniors. The highest dietary intakes of As (223.6 microg/day), Cd (15.7 microg/day), Hg (21.2 microg/day), and Pb (28.4 microg/day) corresponded to male adults. For all analyzed elements, fish and shellfish was the group showing the highest contribution to the respective intakes. In comparison with previous results, a general decrease in As, Cd, Hg, and Pb intake has occurred. The dietary intake of these elements was also compared with the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). Dietary intakes of As, Cd, Hg, and Pb by the population of Catalonia are currently well below the respective PTWIs.

Contribution of diet to lead exposure among children aged 1 to 7 years in La Plata, Buenos Aires

“…21 The PTWI in that case would be 750 µg of lead per week (30 kg * 25 µg/kg), below the median weekly lead intake established in our study, which was 967.4 µg.…”

Development of the Food List for a Brazilian Total Diet Study

“…This means more available food items to be analyzed for chemical The quantity of 19 food groups of this Brazilian TDS is also fewer than the 140 TDS food groups in Canada (Health Canada, 2009), 48 in China (World Health Drganization, 1999, 41-44 in France (French agency for food, environmental and occupational health & safety, 2011;Sirot et al, 2009;Arnich et al,2012) and 143 in the Czech Republic (World Health Drganization, 1999, nevertheless all of them are under national institutes or governmental agencies. Dn the other hand, the Brazilian Food list is close to the 17 food groups in Chile (Munõz et al, 2005), 11-16 food groups in Spain (World Health Drganization, 1999Llobet et al, 2003), 12 food groups in Italy (European Food Safety Authority et al, 2011a, b;Lombardi-Boccia et al, 2003;Turrini & Lombardi-Boccia, 2002), 14 in Japan (World Health Drganization, 1999, 20 in the United Kingdom (European Food Safety Authority et al, 2011b) and 21 in the Lebanon (Nasreddine et al, 2006(Nasreddine et al, , 2010. These TDSs were performed as part of research projects for TDSs development (European Food Safety Authority et al, 2011a).…”

Contribución de la dieta a la exposición al plomo de niños de 1 a 7 años en La Plata, Buenos Aires

“…Otros alimentos cuantitativamente importantes fueron vegetales y frutas. 20 En el presente estudio, los grupos de alimentos que más contribuyeron a la ingesta de plomo no reflejaron lo reportado por la EFSA, EE. UU.…”