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Health impact assessment of arsenic and cadmium intake via rice consumption in Bangkok, Thailand

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Abstract

Consumption of contaminated food is a major route of exposure to toxic contaminants for humans. To protect against potential negative health effects from rice consumption, As and Cd concentrations in rice sold in Bangkok were determined, and non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk assessments were conducted. Four types of rice (n = 97), namely, white jasmine, white, glutinous, and brown jasmine, were collected. Samples were acid-digested and analyzed for total concentrations of As and Cd by ICP-MS. The average concentrations of As and Cd were 0.205 ± 0.008 and 0.019 ± 0.001 mg kg−1, respectively. Approximately 22.8, 62.5, and 57.1% of white, white jasmine, and brown jasmine rice, respectively, contained As concentrations exceeding the Codex inorganic As standards for polished and unpolished rice. Brown jasmine rice contained significantly higher As concentrations than the other types of rice. However, Cd concentrations in all rice samples were significantly lower than the Codex standard of 0.4 mg kg−1. Children are exposed to the highest amounts of both elements. Concerning As exposure through the consumption of different types of rice in the same age group, the consumption of brown jasmine rice caused approximately 1.7 to 2.3 times higher As exposure rates compared to the consumption of other types of rice. Non-carcinogenic risks (hazard quotient (HQ)) of As exposure from all types of rice were higher than the threshold limit of 1. HQ in children ranging from 2.1 to 4.9 was significantly higher than HQ in the other age groups. The cancer risks from As exposure were negligible in all groups.

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Funding

This research was financially supported by the 90th Anniversary of Chulalongkorn University Fund (Ratchadaphiseksomphot Endowment Fund) and the International Environmental Research Institute (IERI), Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Republic of Korea.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hazardous Substance and Environmental Management (Interdisciplinary Program), Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand

    Supanad Hensawang

  2. Center of Excellence on Hazardous Substance Management (HSM), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand

    Supanad Hensawang & Penradee Chanpiwat

  3. Environmental Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, Phayathai Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand

    Penradee Chanpiwat

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  1. Supanad Hensawang
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  2. Penradee Chanpiwat
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Correspondence to Penradee Chanpiwat.

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Hensawang, S., Chanpiwat, P. Health impact assessment of arsenic and cadmium intake via rice consumption in Bangkok, Thailand. Environ Monit Assess 189, 599 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-017-6321-8

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