Levels of heavy metal cadmium in rice (Oryza sativa L.) produced in Taiwan and probabilistic risk assessment for the Taiwanese population
Journal
Environmental Science and Pollution Research
Journal Volume
28
Journal Issue
22
Pages
28381-28390
Date Issued
2021
Author(s)
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic pollutant that is widely spread through industrial production and agricultural practices. Epidemiological data has revealed that lifetime exposure to environmentally relevant levels of Cd increases the risk of developing various organ diseases, including chronic kidney, heart, and lung diseases, as well as nervous tissue disorders. This study assessed Cd levels in rice to determine the health risks associated with rice consumption in various age-gender subgroups in Taiwan. The distribution of Cd concentration, the lifetime average daily dose (LADD), and the hazard index (HI) were estimated by Monte Carlo simulation. In the general population, the 50th percentile LADD of Cd for male rice consumers between the ages of 19–65 years was 0.06 μg/kg body weight per day, and the hazard index (HI) 50th, 90th, and 95th percentiles were 0.16, 0.69, and 1.54, respectively. According to the HI heat map for the exposure of the general population to Cd from rice in Taiwan, the highest exposure to Cd was noted in the Yilan area (HI 0.64). Therefore, rice production in the Yilan area should be further monitored to evaluate the levels of Cd contamination. © 2021, The Author(s).
Subjects
Cadmium; Hazard index; Lifetime average daily dose; Monte Carlo simulation; Probabilistic risk assessment; Taiwan rice
Other Subjects
health risk; heavy metal; industrial production; pollution exposure; price dynamics; rice; risk assessment; spatiotemporal analysis; Taiwan; Yilan [Taiwan]; Oryza sativa; cadmium; heavy metal; adult; aged; food contamination; human; male; middle aged; Oryza; risk assessment; soil pollutant; Taiwan; young adult; Adult; Aged; Cadmium; Food Contamination; Humans; Male; Metals, Heavy; Middle Aged; Oryza; Risk Assessment; Soil Pollutants; Taiwan; Young Adult
Type
journal article