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Potential carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health hazards of metal(loid)s in food grains

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Abstract

Metal(loid) contamination of vital food grains such as wheat and rice is a very serious problem throughout the world because consumption of such contaminated food can lead to severe health effects in humans. Metal(loid) contamination of food crops can occur from different sources such as contaminated soil, irrigation water, and aerial deposition. Therefore, the present study was conducted to analyze potential non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health impacts posed by different metal(loid)s (As Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn) via consumption of wheat and rice grown on metal(loid)-contaminated soils in areas around rivers (Beas and Sutlej) of Punjab, India. Among the metal(loid)s analyzed in wheat and rice samples, contents of As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb were found to be above the international (FAO/WHO and EU) maximum permissible limits. The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risk assessment of individual metal(loid)s revealed that As posed highest risk followed by Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Pb. The values of indices calculated for analysis of combined non-carcinogenic, i.e., (hazard index; range 3.49–15.94) and carcinogenic (total carcinogenic risk index; range 8.30 × 10−4–131.62 × 10−4) risks for both crops were found to be many fold higher than the prescribed limits of 1.0 and 1.0 × 10−4, respectively. Thus, the analysis of combined risks posed by metal(loid)s indicated that human population consuming wheat and rice from the study area faced both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks. Therefore, immediate steps must be taken to reduce the levels of metal(loid)s in wheat and rice from the study area.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge CSIRO (Land and Water), Australia, for the help in heavy metal analysis.

Funding

The authors acknowledge UGC for financial support under UPE, CPEPA, and DRS-SAP programmes and the Head of the Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, for laboratory facilities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India

    Sandip Singh Bhatti, Vaneet Kumar & Avinash Kaur Nagpal

  2. CSIRO Land and Water, Environmental Contaminant Mitigation and Biotechnology Program, Waite Campus, Waite Rd, Urrbrae, SA, 5064, Australia

    Anupama Kumar, Jason K. Kirby, John Gouzos & Ray Correll

  3. Department of Zoology, Khalsa College Amritsar, Amritsar, Punjab, India

    Jaswinder Singh

  4. Department of Human Genetics, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India

    Vasudha Sambyal

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  1. Sandip Singh Bhatti
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Correspondence to Sandip Singh Bhatti or Avinash Kaur Nagpal.

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Bhatti, S.S., Kumar, V., Kumar, A. et al. Potential carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health hazards of metal(loid)s in food grains. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 17032–17042 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-08238-w

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