Abstract
Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) are widely used to treat various diseases in China and some countries, and TCM products are becoming increasingly available and popular worldwide. But TCMs are facing the challenge of heavy metal pollution. In this work, we examined the total contents and fractionations of Pb, Cd, Hg, and Cu in six TCMs (Angelicae Sinensis Radix (ASR), Chuanxiong Rhizoma (CR), Polygonati Rhizoma (PR), Astragali Radix (AR), Carthami Flos (CF), and Paeoniae Radix Rubra (PRR)) and evaluated the health risk of four heavy metals in these TCMs. The results showed that Cd, Pb, and Cu contents were considerably high and the amount of Cd in six TCMs, Pb in CR, ASR, AR, and CF, and Hg in ASR, PR, and PRR exceeded the limit values. The predominant fractions of Pb, Cd, and Cu were exchangeable and carbonate fractions in six TCMs; Hg mainly existed in organic and residual fractions. The average daily intake dose (ADD) and target hazard quotient (THQ) of Pb based on total content and total THQ of four heavy metals based on bioaccessible fractions in AR and PRR exceeded the safety guideline. These results indicated that the potential health risk could occur by taking these TCMs.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alvarez EA, Mochon MC, Jimenez Sanchez JC, Ternero Rodriguez M (2002) Heavy metal extractable forms in sludge from wastewater treatment plants. Chemosphere 47:765–775. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0045-6535(02)00021-8
Annan K, Dickson RA, Amponsah IK, Nooni IK (2013) The heavy metal contents of some selected medicinal plants sampled from different geographical locations. Pharm Res 5:103–108. https://doi.org/10.4103/0974-8490.110539
Arpadjan S, Celik G, Taskesen S, Gucer S (2008) Arsenic, cadmium and lead in medicinal herbs and their fractionation. Food Chem Toxicol 46:2871–2875. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2008.05.027
Bolan NS, Adriano DC, Mahimairaja S (2004) Distribution and bioavailability of trace elements in livestock and poultry manure by-products. Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol 34:291–338. https://doi.org/10.1080/10643380490434128
Bolan S et al (2016) Speciation and bioavailability of lead in complementary medicines. Sci Total Environ 539:304–312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.08.124
Bolan S, Kunhikrishnan A, Chowdhury S, Seshadri B, Naidu R, Ok YS (2017a) Comparative analysis of speciation and bioaccessibility of arsenic in rice grains and complementary medicines. Chemosphere 182:433–440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.04.126
Bolan S, Kunhikrishnan A, Seshadri B, Choppala G, Naidu R, Bolan NS, Ok YS, Zhang M, Li CG, Li F, Noller B, Kirkham MB (2017b) Sources, distribution, bioavailability, toxicity, and risk assessment of heavy metal(loid)s in complementary medicines. Environ Int 108:103–118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2017.08.005
Chinese Pharmacopoeia Committee (2015) Chinese Pharmacopoeia. China medicinal science and technology press. Beijing, China
Codex (1995) Joint Food and Agricultural Organisation/World Health Organisation (FAO/WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives. Codex general standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed, viewed 12 March 2014. http://www.codexalimentarius.net/download/standards/17/CXS_ 193e.pdf
Dai QX, Ae N, Suzuki T, Rajkumar M, Fukunaga S, Fujitake N (2011) Assessment of potentially reactive pools of aluminum in Andisols using a five-step sequential extraction procedure. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 57:500–507. https://doi.org/10.1080/00380768.2011.598445
Escudero LB, Maniero MA, Agostini E, Smichowski PN (2016) Biological substrates: green alternatives in trace elemental preconcentration and speciation analysis. Trac-Trend Anal Chem 80:531–546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2016.04.002
Filipiak-Szok A, Kurzawa M, Szlyk E (2015) Determination of toxic metals by ICP-MS in Asiatic and European medicinal plants and dietary supplements. J Trace Elem Med Biol 30:54–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtemb.2014.10.008
Finžgar N, Tlustoš P, Leštan D (2007) Relationship of soil properties to fractionation, bioavailability and mobility of lead and zinc in soil. Plant Soil Environ 53:225–238. https://doi.org/10.17221/2201-PSE
Hallenbeck WH (1993) Quantitative risk assessment for environmental and occupational health, 2nd edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton
Hsu LC, Liu YT, Tzou YM (2015) Comparison of the spectroscopic speciation and chemical fractionation of chromium in contaminated paddy soils. J Hazard Mater 296:230–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2015.03.044
Huang WL, Bai Z, Jiao J, Yuan H, Bao Z, Chen S, Ding M, Liang Zet al. (2019) Distribution and chemical forms of cadmium in Coptis chinensis Franch. Determined by laser ablation ICP-MS, cell fractionation, and sequential extraction. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 171:894–903. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.10.034
Jeske-Kaczanowska A, Gworek B (2016) A comparative study of sequential extraction methods for identification of trace elements fractions (Cr, Ni, Pb, Cd) in urban soils from several parks. Przem Chem 95:412–419
KavitaVerma, Pandey J (2019) Heavy metal accumulation in surface sediments of the Ganga River (India): speciation, fractionation, toxicity, and risk assessment. Environ Monit Assess 191:414. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7552-7
Kim D, Kim B, Yun E, Kim J, Chae Y, Park S (2013) Statistical quality control of total ash, acid-insoluble ash, loss on drying, and hazardous heavy metals contained in the component medicinal herbs of “Ssanghwatang”, a widely used oriental formula in Korea. J Nat Med-Tokyo 67:27–35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-012-0640-4
Kohzadi S, Shahmoradi B, Ghaderi E, Loqmani H, Maleki A (2019) Concentration, source, and potential human health risk of heavy metals in the commonly consumed medicinal plants. Biol Trace Elem Res 187:41–50. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-018-1357-3
Leung AY (2006) Traditional toxicity documentation of Chinese materia medica - an overview. Toxicol Pathol 34:319–326. https://doi.org/10.1080/01926230600773958
Li ZJ, Yue QY, Ni H, Gao BY (2011) Fractionation and potential risk of heavy metals in surface sediment of Nansi Lake, China. Desalin Water Treat 32:10–18. https://doi.org/10.5004/dwt.2011.2419
Li HM, Qian X, Hu W, Wang YL, Gao HL (2013) Chemical speciation and human health risk of trace metals in urban street dusts from a metropolitan city, Nanjing, SE China. Sci Total Environ 456:212–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.03.094
Li YY, Wang HB, Wang HJ, Yin F, Yang XY, Hu YJ (2014) Heavy metal pollution in vegetables grown in the vicinity of a multi-metal mining area in Gejiu, China: total concentrations, speciation analysis, and health risk. Environ Sci Pollut R 21:12569–12582. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3188-x
Li J, Wang YB, Yang HF, Yu PX, Tang YY (2018) Five heavy metals accumulation and health risk in a traditional Chinese medicine Cortex Moutan collected from different sites in China. Hum Ecol Risk Assess 24:2288–2298. https://doi.org/10.1080/10807039.2018.1459181
Liu LH, Zhang Y, Yun ZJ, He B, Zhang QH, Hu LG, Jiang GB (2018) Speciation and bioaccessibility of arsenic in traditional Chinese medicines and assessment of its potential health risk. Sci Total Environ 619:1088–1097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.113
Luo JM, Ye YJ, Gao ZY, Wang YJ, Wang WF (2016) Trace element (Pb, Cd, and As) contamination in the sediments and organisms in Zhalong wetland, Northeastern China. Soil Sediment Contam 25:395–407. https://doi.org/10.1080/15320383.2016.1145187
Luo JY, Liu H, Gu SY, Wu JJ, Yang MH (2018) Speciation analysis of trace mercury and arsenic in 31 kinds of animal drugs and discussion about the limit standards. Acta Pharm Sin 53:1879–1886. https://doi.org/10.16438/j.0513-4870.2018-0522(in Chinese)
MCPRC (Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China) (2005) Green standards of medicinal plants and preparations for foreign trade and economy vol WM/T 2–2004. MCPRC, Beijing
Mester Z, Cremisini C, Ghiara E, Morabito R (1998) Comparison of two sequential extraction procedures for metal fractionation in sediment samples. Anal Chim Acta 359:133–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-2670(97)00687-9
Nagarajan S, Sivaji K, Krishnaswamy S, Pemiah B, Rajan KS, Krishnan UM, Sethuraman S (2014) Safety and toxicity issues associated with lead-based traditional herbo-metallic preparations. J Ethnopharmacol 151:1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2013.10.037
Nemati K, Abu Bakar NK, Abas MR, Sobhanzadeh E (2011) Speciation of heavy metals by modified BCR sequential extraction procedure in different depths of sediments from Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia. J Hazard Mater 192:402–410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2011.05.039
Niazi NK, Singh B, Shah P (2011) Arsenic speciation and phytoavailability in contaminated soils using a sequential extraction procedure and XANES spectroscopy. Environ Sci Technol 45:7135–7142. https://doi.org/10.1021/es201677z
Ogunbanjo O, Onawumi O, Gbadamosi M, Ogunlana A, Anselm O (2016) Chemical speciation of some heavy metals and human health risk assessment in soil around two municipal dumpsites in Sagamu, Ogun state, Nigeria. Chem Speciat Bioavailab 28:142–151. https://doi.org/10.1080/09542299.2016.1203267
Okoro HK, Jimoh HA (2016) Speciation and determination of priority metals in sediments of Oyun River, Ilorin, Kwara, Nigeria. B Chem Soc Ethiopia 30:199–208. https://doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v30i2.4
Sah D, Verma PK, Kandikonda MK, Lakhani A (2019) Chemical fractionation, bioavailability, and health risks of heavy metals in fine particulate matter at a site in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, India. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 26:19749–19762. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05144-8
Saha N, Zaman MR (2013) Evaluation of possible health risks of heavy metals by consumption of foodstuffs available in the central market of Rajshahi City, Bangladesh. Environ Monit Assess 185:3867–3878. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-012-2835-2
Sungur A, Soylak M, Yilmaz S, Ozcan H (2016) Heavy metal mobility and potential availability in animal manure: using a sequential extraction procedure. J Mater Cycles Waste 18:563–572. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-015-0352-4
Templeton Douglas M, Ariese F, Cornelis R, Danielsson L-G, Muntau H, van Leeuwen Herman P, Lobinski R (2000) Guidelines for terms related to chemical speciation and fractionation of elements. Definitions, structural aspects, and methodological approaches (IUPAC recommendations 2000) vol 72. doi:https://doi.org/10.1351/pac200072081453
Tessier A, Campbell PGC, Bisson M (1979) Sequential extraction procedure for the speciation of particulate. Trace-Metals Anal Chem 51:844-851. doi: https://doi.org/10.1021/ac50043a017
Tokalioglu S, Kartal S, Elci L (2000) Determination of heavy metals and their speciation in lake sediments by flame atomic absorption spectrometry after a four-stage sequential extraction procedure. Anal Chim Acta 413:33–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-2670(00)00726-1
US EPA (1992) Guidelines for exposure assessment. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Fed Regist 57(104):22888-22938
US EPA (2009) Risk-based concentration table. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington DC, Philadelphia
Wang XL, Sato T, Xing BS, Tao S (2005) Health risks of heavy metals to the general public in Tianjin, China via consumption of vegetables and fish. Sci Total Environ 350:28–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2004.09.044
Wang HS et al (2013) In vitro estimation of exposure of Hong Kong residents to mercury and methylmercury via consumption of market fishes. J Hazard Mater 15:387–393. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2012.12.060
Wang L, Peng X, Fu H, Huang C, Li Y, Liu Z (2019a) Recent advances in the development of electrochemical aptasensors for detection of heavy metals in food. Biosens Bioelectron 147:111777. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bios.2019.111777
Wang ZZ, Wang HB, Wang HJ, Li QC, Li Y (2019b) Heavy metal pollution and potential health risks of commercially available Chinese herbal medicines. Sci Total Environ 653:748–757. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.388
Xu P, Sun CX, Ye XZ, Xiao WD, Zhang Q, Wang Q (2016) The effect of biochar and crop straws on heavy metal bioavailability and plant accumulation in a Cd and Pb polluted soil. Ecotox Environ Safe 132:94–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2016.05.031
Yang GD, Xu J, Zheng J, Xu X, Wang W, Xu L, Chen G, Fu Fet al. (2009) Speciation analysis of arsenic in Mya arenaria Linnaeus and shrimp with capillary electrophoresis-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Talanta 78:471–476. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2008.11.040
Yang GD, Zheng JP, Chen L, Lin Q, Zhao YQ, Wu YN, Fu FF (2012) Speciation analysis and characterisation of arsenic in lavers collected from coastal waters of Fujian, South-Eastern China. Food Chem 132:1480–1485. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2011.12.006
Yi GH, Peng PH (2007) Absorption and accumulation characteristics of the rhizome of genuine Chinese medicine material Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. Produced in Sichuan province to heavy metals in soil. J Anhui Agric Sci 35:10744–10745 (in Chinese)
Yu I-S, Lee JS, Kim SD, Kim YH, Park HW, Ryu HJ, Lee JH, Lee JM, Jung K, Na C, Joung JY, Son CGet al. (2017) Monitoring heavy metals, residual agricultural chemicals and sulfites in traditional herbal decoctions. BMC Complement Altern Med 17:154-159. doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-017-1646-y
Zhang TH, Shan XQ, Li FL (1998) Comparison of two sequential extraction procedures for speciation analysis of metals in soils and plant availability. Commun Soil Sci Plan 29:1023–1034. https://doi.org/10.1080/00103629809370004
Zhang JH, Wider B, Shang HC, Li XM, Ernst E (2012) Quality of herbal medicines: challenges and solutions. Complement Ther Med 20:100–106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2011.09.004
Zhou L, Wang S, Hao Q, Kang L, Kang C, Yang J, Yang W, Jiang J, Huang LQ, Guo L et al (2018) Bioaccessibility and risk assessment of heavy metals, and analysis of arsenic speciation in Cordyceps sinensis. Chin Med 13:40. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-018-0196-7
Zhu FK, Wang XJ, Fan WX, Qu L, Qiao MY, Yao SW (2013) Assessment of potential health risk for arsenic and heavy metals in some herbal flowers and their infusions consumed in China. Environ Monit Assess 185:3909–3916. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-012-2839-y
Zimmerman AJ, Weindorf DC (2010) Heavy metal and trace metal analysis in soil by sequential extraction: a review of procedures. Int J Anal Chem 2010:387803. https://doi.org/10.1155/2010/387803
Zuo TT, Li YL, He HZ, Jin HY, Zhang L, Sun L, Gao F, Wang Q, Shen YJ, Ma SC, He LCet al. (2019) Refined assessment of heavy metal-associated health risk due to the consumption of traditional animal medicines in humans. Environ Monit Assess 191:171-112. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7270-1
Funding
The research was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 81373368 and 81973240).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Responsible Editor: Philippe Garrigues
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Electronic supplementary material
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nan, G., Meng, X., Song, N. et al. Fractionation analysis and health risk assessment of heavy metals in six traditional Chinese medicines. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 10308–10316 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-07558-w
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-07558-w