Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in floor dust from different indoor environments in Australia: Levels, variation, and human exposure risks.

Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been a global concern in relation to human exposure. Dust has been proven to be an important source of human exposure to many groups of organic pollutants, however, no study so far has systematically evaluated human exposure to PFASdepending on time spent in different indoor environments i.e., houses, offices and public transport vehicles. Archived dust samples were collected from residential houses (n=38), offices (n=15), and public transport vehicles (n=12) in Australia to assess human exposures to PFAS via dust ingestion and dermal contact. Amongst the 19 target analytes, 14 compounds were detected in >50% of the samples. Significantly higher PFAS concentrations were found in dust samples collected from offices with mean±SD of 400±810 ng/g than houses (170±350 ng/g) and public transport vehicles (39±33 ng/g). Composition patterns of PFAS varied among indoor environments with Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) (median 2.5 ng/g dust) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) (median 5.7 ng/g) were the most prevalent compounds detected (DF=100%). PFOA was the dominant PFAS compound in both offices (median 11 ng/g) and houses (median 5.8 ng/g). Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA) (median 3.6 ng/g) was found to be the most abundant compounds in public transport vehicles. Considering the time spent in indoor environments, relatively higher estimated daily intakes (EDIs) were identified in offices than in houses and public transport vehicles. EDIs for PFOA and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) for adults and toddlers were well below the acceptable levels of 20 ng/kg/day proposed by U.S Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and Food Standard Australia and New Zealand (USEPA, 2016; FSANZ, 2016), suggesting low or negligible exposure pathways via dust ingestion and dermal contact.

Monitoring of imidacloprid residues in fresh fruits and vegetables from the central parts of Jordan.

Imidacloprid pesticide is widely utilized in agriculture due to its effectiveness in controlling a broad spectrum of insect pests. However, its usage has raised concerns about potential environmental impacts, and requires careful monitoring and responsible application to ensure sustainable agricultural practices. Thus, Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was utilized to analyze imidacloprid in 300 vegetable and fruit samples obtained from 15 major wholesalers in four regions of Amman, Jordan's capital city. Among the examined samples, 39.7 % were found to be contaminated with imidacloprid residues. Imidacloprid levels in different edible fruits and vegetables ranged from less than the Limit of Quantification (LOQ) to 0.40 mg kg-1. Significantly, eggplant and apples exhibited the highest average values (0.40 and 0.25 mg kg-1, respectively). Lower levels were detected in bananas (0.04 mg kg-1), potatoes (0.05 mg kg-1), grapes (0.07 mg kg-1), and cabbage (0.07 mg kg-1). Imidacloprid was below the method detection limit (BD) in samples of okra, peaches, apricots, and carrots. Overall, 25 samples (8.3 %) exceeded the Codex maximum residue limit (MRL) for imidacloprid. Moreover, 8 out of the 300 samples (2.7 %) exceeded the MRL established by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). Notably, the fruits of eggplant and apple contained the highest residual levels (1.30 and 0.83 mg kg-1, respectively), markedly exceeding the CODEX and PMRA MRLs. Additionally, the maximum detected imidacloprid residue concentration in bananas (0.25 mg kg-1) was 500 % higher than the CODEX MRLs. The estimated average daily intake (EDI) of the Amman population varied from 0.00 to 0.144 µg kg-1 body weight day-1 across various products. The hazard index (HI) for imidacloprid ranged from 0.00 to 0.24, all of which were below unity in all samples (<1). In conclusion, this investigation reveals low HI levels of imidacloprid residues in commonly consumed fruits and vegetables. However, the significant presence of imidacloprid residues in some samples highlights the urgent need for comprehensive measures to limit potential health hazards to consumers.

Novel Brominated Flame Retardants in Dust from E-Waste-Dismantling Workplace in Central China: Contamination Status and Human Exposure Assessment.

Novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) have been widely used as alternatives to legacy BFRs. However, information on the contamination status and human exposure risks of electronic waste (e-waste)-derived NBFRs in the e-waste workplace is limited. In this study, six NBFRs and the legacy BFRs, hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs), were analyzed in 50 dust samples from an e-waste-dismantling workplace in Central China. The dust concentration of NBFRs in e-waste-dismantling workshops (median, 157−169 ng/g) was found to be significantly higher than those in an outdoor environment (17.3 ng/g) (p < 0.01). Differently, the highest median concentration of HBCDs was found in dust from the dismantling workshop for cellphones and computers (367 ng/g) among studied areas. The bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrabromo-phthalate (BEHTBP) was the predominant compound, which contributed 66.0−88.0% of measured NBFR concentrations. NBFRs might originate from plastic and rubber materials in wastes based on the correlation and principal component analysis. Moreover, the total estimated daily intakes (average scenario) of NBFRs were calculated at 2.64 × 10−2 ng/kg bw/d and 2.91× 10−2 ng/kg bw/d for the male and female dismantling workers, respectively, via dust ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact pathways, which were lower than the reference dose values, and thus indicated a limited human exposure risk for NBFRs at the current level. Although the dust concentrations and daily intakes of NBFRs were still lower than those of other emerging pollutants (e.g., organophosphate and nitrogenous flame retardants) measured in the same sampling set, the elevated levels of NBFRs suggested the progressive BFR replacement process in China, which deserves more attention regarding their adverse effects on both the environment and human health.

Heavy metal contents in salted fish retailed in Egypt: Dietary intakes and health risk assessment.

Background: In Egypt, salted fish is considered a typically processed fish, including salted sardine, salted mullet (feseikh), keeled mullet (sahlia), and herrings. High-quality protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vital amino acids, and trace minerals such as magnesium and calcium are all abundant in fish. However, eating salted fish can expose people to toxins found in the environment, such as heavy metals. Aim: In Zagazig, Egypt, four types of locally produced salted fish-salted sardine, feseikh, sahlia, and herrings-were tested for heavy metals, specifically lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg). Second, the assessed heavy metals linked to the Egyptian population's consumption of salted fish were used to calculate estimated daily intakes (EDIs) and potential health hazards, such as hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI). Methods: Samples of salted herrings, feseikh, sahlia, and sardines were gathered from the markets in Zagazig. Samples of salted fish were subjected to acid digestion and then heavy metal extraction. Atomic absorption spectrometers (AAS) were used to measure heavy metals. HI, HQ, and EDI were computed computationally. Results: With the exception of mercury, which was not found in the salted herrings, the recorded results showed that all of the tested metals were present in the samples that were evaluated. The herrings contained residual Pb and Cd contents that were highest, followed by sardine, feseikh, and sahlia, in that order. After sardine, herrings, and sahlia, feseikh has the greatest concentration. Sardine, feseikh, and sahlia had the highest quantities of mercury, in that order. A number of samples were found to be above the maximum allowable levels. There were no apparent hazards associated with consuming such conventional fish products, according to the computed HQ and HI values for the heavy metals under investigation based on the daily intakes. Conclusion: Samples of salted fish sold in Zagazig, Egypt, had high quantities of the hazardous elements Pb, Cd, As, and Hg. Due to the bioaccumulation and biomagnification characteristics of these studied metals, such data should be taken carefully even though the computed health hazards revealed no potential problems.

Assessment of ameliorative effects of organic dietary interventions on neonicotinoid exposure rates in a Japanese population.

Neonicotinoid insecticides (NNIs) are a popular class of insecticides used in various pest management regimens worldwide. Biomonitoring studies continuously report high exposure rates of NNIs in various human populations across the globe. Yet, there is no validated countermeasure for combating the recent exponential rise in NNI exposure rates observed in human populations. The current study assessed the impacts of organic dietary interventions on NNI exposure rates in a Japanese population. A total of 103 volunteers were recruited into the study. Subjects were either served with Organic diets for 5 and 30 days or conventional diets. A total of 919 repeated urine samples were collected from the participants and then subjected to LC-MS/MS analysis to determine urinary concentrations of 7 NNIs parent compounds and an NNI metabolite. Eight NNIs were detected; with a decreasing detection frequency (%Dfs) pattern; desmethyl-acetamiprid (dm-ACE) (64.96%) > dinotefuran (52.12%), imidacloprid (39.61%) > clothianidin (33.95%) > thiamethoxam (28.51%) > acetamiprid (12.62%) > nitenpyram (5.33%) > thiacloprid (2.83%). Dinotefuran, dm-ACE, and clothianidin recorded the highest concentrations in the subjects. The %Df of NNIs in the 5-days or 30-days organic diet group were lower than those of the conventional diet consumers. The organic diet group showed lower rates of multiple NNI exposures than those of the conventional diet consumers. The mean and median cumulative levels of NNIs (median IMIeq) were significantly lower in the organic diet group than the conventional diet group (p < 0.0001). The estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of NNIs were higher in adults than children, but less than 1% of NNI cRfDs, except for clothianidin, which exhibited a %cRfD of 1.32 in children. Compared to the conventional diet group, the 5- and 30-day organic dietary intervention showed drastic reductions in NNI EDIs. Findings from the present study give credence to organic dietary interventions as potential ameliorative strategies for NNI exposure rates in human populations.

Comparison of the exposure assessment of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate between the PBPK model-based reverse dosimetry and scenario-based analysis: A Korean general population study.

Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), classified as a reproductive toxicant, is a ubiquitous pollutant in foodstuffs, dust, and commercial products. In this study, to provide a useful cross-check on the accuracy of the exposure assessment, the estimated daily intake of DEHP was compared using reverse dosimetry with a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model and a scenario-based probabilistic estimation model for six subpopulations in Korea. For reverse dosimetry analysis, the concentrations of urinary DEHP metabolites, namely mono (2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP) and mono (2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl)phthalate (MEOHP), from three human biomonitoring program datasets were used. For the scenario-based model, we evaluated the various exposure sources of DEHP, including diet, air, indoor dust, soil, and personal care products (PCPs), and also determined its levels based on the literature review and measurements of indoor dust. The DEHP exposure doses using both exposure assessment approaches were similar in all cases, except for the 95th percentile exposure doses in toddlers (1-2 years) and young children (3-6 years). The PBPK-reverse dosimetry estimated daily intakes at the 95th percentile ranged between 22.53 and 29.90 µg/kg/day for toddlers and young children. These exceeded the reference dose (RfD) of 20 µg/kg bw/day of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) based on the increased relative liver weight. Although, food was considered the primary source of DEHP, contributing to a total exposure of 50.8-75.1%, the effect of exposure to indoor dust should not be overlooked. The occurrence of high levels of DEHP in indoor dust collected from Korean homes suggests the use of a wide variety of consumer products containing DEHP. Furthermore, more attention should be paid to the high exposure levels of DEHP, especially in young children. Therefore, it is necessary to perform continuous monitoring of the indoor dust, consumer products, and the body burden of children.

Toxic Metals in Seven Commercial Fish from the Southern Black Sea: Toxic Risk Assessment of Eleven-Year Data Between 2009 and 2019.

Concentrations of toxic metals (Cd, Hg and Pb) in the edible tissues of seven commercial fish species (Mullus barbatus, Merlangius merlangus, Scophthalmus maximus, Mugil cephalus, Engraulis encrasicolus, Trachurus mediterraneus and Sarda sarda) collected from Sinop coasts of the southern Black Sea were detected in 11 years. In several fish samples, the concentrations of elements (Cd, Hg and Pb) were not detected or were below the detection level. The present study showed that Pb was the most and Cd was the least accumulated metal in the studied fish species. The concentrations of those metals are below the international organizations' recommended limit. It was shown that the estimated metal dose values for daily average consumption and hazarded quotients (HI) in fish samples are below safety levels for human consumption (HI˂1). From the human health point of view, this study showed that there was no possible health risk to people due to intake of any studied species under the current consumption rate in the country for 11 years. This study could be useful as a baseline data for metals exposure.

Ethnic food beverages with heavy metal contents: Parameters for associated risk to human health, North-East India.

Food beverage consumption is a worldwide age-old practice. It is also a common run-through habit among the tribes of North Eastern parts of India. The food beverage group Jou is a traditionally fermented rice-based beverage by Bodo community of Assam, the largest plain tribe. It is not only consumed by Bodos on regular basis but also widely used in their socio-cultural activities. Joubidwi (JB, fermented product), Joufinai (JF, preserved product) and Jougwran (JG, distilled) are the three varieties of Jou. Herewith, it had been reported; the concentrations of metals such as Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb and Zn in the three varieties of Jou to make people aware about the possible health benefits as well as the risks associated with the consumption of Jou. The metal contents were estimated using ICP-OES after digesting the samples with 10:1 mixture of concentrated nitric and concentrated sulfuric acid. The estimated daily intakes (EDI) of metals from consumption of JB, JF and JG were also within the recommended daily allowances (RDA). From the estimated target hazard quotient (THQ) values, it was observed no health risk associated with the consumption of Jou; whereas total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) of Joufinai were associated with more health risks. Metal concentrations of all metals in Bodo beverages was lower in comparison with barely based and wheat based beverages.

Pilot study of exposure of the male population to organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticides in a region of high agricultural activity (Córdoba, Argentina).

Urinary metabolites of organophosphate (OP) and pyrethroid (PYR) pesticides and biomarkers of effects were studied in a population (n=40) residing in an important agricultural area of the province of Córdoba (Argentina). Detection frequencies (DF) higher than 85% were observed for the metabolites of pirimiphos (2-diethylamino-6-methylpyrimidin-4-ol -DEAMPY-, median 7.5 µg/g creatinine, DF: 100%), parathion (p-nitrophenol, 0.99 µg/g creatinine, 100%), and chlorpyrifos (3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol, 0.25 µg/g creatinine, 85%). The DEAMPY concentrations doubled the levels found in other studies and were negatively associated with Er-AChE activity, suggesting the appearance of health effects already in environmental exposure levels below established acceptable daily intakes (ADIs). 3-Phenoxybenzoic acid, the metabolite of several PYR pesticides, was also found in all samples. This metabolite was also significantly negatively correlated with Er-AChE, indicating effects of pyrethroid pesticides on the acetylcholine system even at concentrations below the ADI.

Environmental and dietary exposure of perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid in the Nakdong River, Korea.

This study performed the first environmental and dietary exposure assessment to explore plant uptake of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) from agricultural soil and irrigation water in the Nakdong River delta, South Korea. Annual average concentrations of total PFOA and PFOS ranged from 0.026 to 0.112 µg L-1 (irrigation water), and from 0.818 to 1.364 µg kg-1 (soil), respectively. PFOA and PFOS hotspots were identified downstream of the Nakdong River and were influenced by seasonal climatic variations. The observed average biennial concentration of the sum of PFOA and PFOS decreased in irrigation water, from 0.112 µg L-1 in 2013 to 0.026 µg L-1 in 2015, suggests that the 2013 Persistent Organic Pollutants Control Act may have helped to reduce levels of PFAS at this location. This study calculated some of the highest plant uptake factors reported to date, with values ranging from 0.962 in green onions to < 0.004 in plums. Leafy vegetables and rice are important components of the Korean diet; these groups had the largest contribution to the estimated dietary intake of PFOA and PFOS, which was calculated at 0.449 and 0.140 ng kg bw -1 day-1, respectively. This corresponded to 66.4% for PFOA and 7.9% for PFOS of the EFSA reference dose (RfD). The dietary intake of PFOA and PFOS from crops alone did not exceed the RfD. However, when the estimated daily intake (EDI) from other sources such as tap water, meat, fish, dairy, and beverages was included in the exposure risk assessment, both of the EDIs to PFOA and PFOS exceeded the RfDs, indicating that there may be a risk to human health. This study concludes that consumption of crops might, therefore, be a significant and underappreciated pathway for human exposure to PFAS.

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 ± 0.050 mg/kg, respectively, with ranges of 0.003-0.727, 0.019-0.217, and 0.001-0.345 mg/kg (expressed on a dry weight basis), respectively. The average EDIs of Cd, inorganic As (iAs), and Pb were 0.772, 0.490, and 0.306 µg/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.

PM2.5 bound phthalates in four metropolitan cities of China: Concentration, seasonal pattern and health risk via inhalation.

Phthalates (PAEs) are in a group of artificial chemicals with potential adverse effects to human health and they can be frequently detected in environmental matrices due to its extensive usage. However, seasonal patterns of concentrations in atmosphere and risks posed by PAEs in airborne PM2.5 to Chinese population have not been well characterized. During the period of November 2015 to March 2017, samples of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) were collected in four cities of Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing and Harbin, which are major metropolitan areas of various latitudes of China. Concentrations of fourteen PAEs in airborne PM2.5 were quantified using Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Estimated daily intakes (EDIs), hazard quotients (HQs) and hazard index (HI) were calculated. Lifetime average daily doses (LADD) and incremental lifetime cancer risks (ILCR) of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) for four age groups, which divide with infant, toddler, adolescent and adult, by inhalation route were evaluated. Dimethyl phthalate (DMP), Diethyl phthalate (DEP), Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), and DEHP were the four major PAEs contaminants in these PM2.5 samples. The sum concentrations of DMP, DEP, DBP and DEHP in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing and Harbin ranged from 32.5-76.1, 10.1-101, 8.02-107 and 13.5-622 ng/m3, with mean concentrations of 59.1, 50.8, 43.8 and 136 ng/m3, respectively. The concentration of total PAEs in PM2.5 from higher latitudes city (Harbin) was higher than those from lower latitudes cities (Guangzhou and Shanghai). Total concentrations of PAEs were significantly higher during warmer seasons than those during colder seasons among the four cities. Although the EDIs, HQs, and HI for all age groups were less than the threshold set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the highest values of 70-years ILCR from Shanghai and Harbin were 1.2 × 10-6 and 1.3 × 10-6, which were slightly beyond the acceptable level of 10-6. These findings reveal that the cancer risks of DEHP bound to PM2.5 in these two cites should be of particular concern.

Urinary metabolites of organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticides in children from an Italian cohort (PHIME, Trieste).

Urinary metabolites of organophosphate (OP) and pyrethroid (PYR) pesticides from seven years old children of a birth cohort study (n=199; PHIME cohort of Trieste, Italy) have been measured. Six OP and two PYR metabolites have been investigated, 2-diethylamino-6-methylpyrimidin-4-ol (DEAMPY, pirimiphos metabolite) was the one found at higher concentrations, median 3.4 ng/mL specific gravity adjusted (SG adjusted), followed by 4-nitrophenol (PNP, median 1.4 ng/mL SG adjusted) and 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPY, median 0.36 ng/mL SG adjusted), parathion and chlorpyriphos metabolites, respectively. TCPY concentrations were low in comparison to other distributions of OP metabolites in children from other studies. Accordingly, the PHIME cohort showed a distinct OP metabolite distribution with high concentrations of pirimiphos and parathion. Another specific characteristic of this cohort was the high concentration of 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-BPA, median 0.36 ng/mL SG adjusted), a general metabolite of PYR pesticides. Evaluation of anthropometric and socio-demographic characteristics of children and families only showed a positive association between family educational level and urinary concentrations of DEAMPY metabolite (p<0.05), which could reflect distinct dietary habits depending on the educational level. Estimated daily intakes were evaluated, all studied metabolites were found within safe levels.

Phthalates in infant cotton clothing: Occurrence and implications for human exposure.

Clothing easily adsorbed the chemicals in the environment, and became a source of human exposure to chemicals. However, large contacted surface area and long exposure duration have elevated human exposure to chemicals from clothing, such as phthalates. Among them, cotton clothing, which infants prefer to wear, has been proven to adsorb phthalates more easily than other fabrics. While infants are developing, they are easily affected by phthalates. In this study, in order to study accumulation of phthalates in infant cotton clothing during the whole process from production to the first wearing, 24 infant cotton clothing samples were collected from shopping malls in Harbin, China. High detection rates and concentrations suggest that phthalates in the environment are widely adsorbed to infant cotton clothing, and traditional laundering for infant clothing cannot remove phthalates completely. The median concentration of the total phthalates was 4.15 µg/g. Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) has become the dominant phthalate. For the estimated daily intakes (EDIs) for infants, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) had the highest contribution, followed by di-iso-butyl phthalate (DiBP) and DEHP. Dermal absorption has become the main route of infant exposure to phthalates, and ingestion contributed very little. The result of comparing with the EDIs via dermal absorption from house air and dust suggests that clothing plays an important role of dermal absorption exposure to phthalates. For risk assessment, the carcinogenic risk of BBP and DEHP indicates that the level of DEHP in infant cotton clothing might pose potential adverse effects to infant health.

Metals in Mytillus galloprovincialis (Lamarck 1819) and Ensis directus (Conrad 1883): Risk Assessment.

The study has been conducted with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry to determine the content of toxic heavy metals, macroelements, and essential elements in two species of bivalves of commercial interest in the Canary Islands: the Mediterranean mussel ( Mytillus galloprovincialis, Lamarck 1819) and the razor clam ( Ensis directus, Conrad 1883). The study included 40 samples corresponding to 20 specimens of each species acquired from fishmongers on the island of Tenerife. E. directus had higher levels of metals, except for B, Cd, Na, and Zn (0.98, 0.02, 2,006.93, and 15.07 mg/kg, respectively) compared with those in M. galloprovincialis, B, Cd, Na, and Zn (2.67, 0.12, 2,267.7, and 22.27 mg/kg, respectively). In both bivalve molluscs, the maximum limits established by European legislation on food for human consumption were not exceeded. Likewise, the estimated daily intakes for the toxic metals Pb and Cd were below the admissible daily intakes.

Determination of Trace Elements in Infant Formulas Available on Polish Market.

The aim of this study was to assess the levels of 13 essential and toxic elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, V, Zn) in the infant formulas, available on Polish market. Selected food samples were of animal (cow- and goat-based milks) and plant (soy-based milk, hypoallergic products, grain porridges) origin. Two analytical techniques, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and neutron activation analysis (NAA), have been complementarily applied to analyze elemental content of 16 formulas dedicated for infants between 0 and 8 months. For arsenic determinations, the radiochemical mode of NAA was also used. The daily intake of some micronutrients in the age 0-8 months for non-breastfed infants was estimated and compared with present safety limits. Certified reference materials (CRMs) have been used for the validation of the methods: Non-fat Milk Powder 1549 (National Bureau of Standards-NBS), Soya Bean Flour INCT-SBF-4 (Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology-INCT), Rice Flour SRM 1568b (National Institute of Standards and Technology-NIST).

Lead in duplicate diet samples from an academic community.

Lead is a naturally occurring element that with the advent of the industrial era became a serious environmental and public health issue. Leaded gasoline, lead based paints, use of lead in plumbing and water pipes, ceramics with lead-containing glazes and tobacco smoke are potential sources of lead exposure for humans. Despite these multiple sources, food is still considered the most important one for the general non-smoking population. Hence, in the present study, the dietary intake of lead was determined in duplicate diet samples provided by 30 participants working or studying at University of Aveiro, Portugal. Pb was detected in all the analysed samples with values ranging between 0.009 and 0.10mgkg-1 ww which correspond to estimated daily intakes between 0.22 and 3.5µgkg-bw-1day-1. Risk estimations disclose that at least 3.3% and 26.7% of the participants might suffer cardiovascular and nephrotoxic effects, respectively.

Potential human health risks from toxic metals via mangrove snail consumption and their ecological risk assessments in the habitat sediment from Peninsular Malaysia.

Samples of mangrove snails Nerita lineata and surface sediments were collected from nine geographical sampling sites in Peninsular Malaysia to determine the concentrations of eight metals. For the soft tissues, the ranges of metal concentrations (µg g(-1) dry weight (dw)) were 3.49-9.02 for As, 0.69-6.25 for Cd, 6.33-25.82 for Cu, 0.71-6.53 for Cr, 221-1285 for Fe, 1.03-50.47 for Pb, and 102.7-130.7 for Zn while Hg as 4.00-64.0 µg kg(-1) dw(-1). For sediments, the ranges were 21.81-59.49 for As, 1.11-2.00 for Cd, 5.59-28.71 for Cu, 18.93-62.91 for Cr, 12973-48916 for Fe, 25.36-172.57 for Pb, and 29.35-130.34 for Zn while for Hg as 2.66-312 µg kg(-1) dw(-1). To determine the ecological risks on the surface habitat sediments, sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), the geochemical indices, and potential ecological risk index (PERI) were used. Based on the SQGs, all the metals investigated were most unlikely to cause any adverse effects. Based on geoaccumulation index and enrichment factor, the sediments were also not polluted by the studied metals. The PERI values based on As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Hg, Pb and Zn in this study were found as 'low ecological risk'. In order to assess the potential health risks, the estimated daily intakes (EDI) of snails were found to be all lower than the RfD guidelines for all metals, except for Pb in some sites investigated. Furthermore, the calculated target hazard quotients (THQ) were found to be less than 1. However, the calculated total target hazard quotients (TTHQ) from all sites were found to be more than 1 for high level consumers except KPPuteh. Therefore, moderate amount of intake is advisable to avoid human health risks to the consumers.

Hexabromocyclododecanes in limnic and marine organisms and terrestrial plants from Tianjin, China: diastereomer- and enantiomer-specific profiles, biomagnification, and human exposure.

To interpret the distribution of hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) in various organisms, we measured the concentrations and diastereomer and enantiomer profiles of HBCDs in 21 different species of limnic and marine cohorts from Tianjin, China. The concentration ranges of HBCDs in limnic and marine organisms were 64.3-1111 ng g(-1) lw and 85.5-989 ng g(-1) lw, respectively. Living habitat and feeding habits had important impacts on HBCD diastereomer distribution. Most of the species appeared to preferentially select (+)-α-, (-)-ß- and (-)-γ-HBCD. There is a tendency that the total and α-HBCDs were magnified as trophic level increased with trophic magnification factors (TMFs) around 2. The concentrations of HBCDs in the limnic and marine fishes were highest in the liver, followed by the gill, skin, and muscle. In terrestrial plants, the highest concentrations of HBCDs were observed in the leaf, followed by the root and the rhizosphere soil. Plants showed enantioselectivity for HBCD enantiomers, which varied with plant species and organs (leaf vs. root) of the same plant. Higher estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of HBCDs were observed from fish than from wheat.