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Analysis of Heavy Metals in Foodstuffs and an Assessment of the Health Risks to the General Public via Consumption in Beijing, China

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  • Gang Liang

    (Beijing Research Center for Agricultural Standards and Testing, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Beijing 100097, China
    Risk Assessment Lab. for Agro-products (Beijing), Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China
    Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Agriculture Environment Monitoring, Beijing 100097, China
    These authors contributed equally to the article.)

  • Wenwen Gong

    (Beijing Research Center for Agricultural Standards and Testing, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Beijing 100097, China
    Risk Assessment Lab. for Agro-products (Beijing), Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China
    Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Agriculture Environment Monitoring, Beijing 100097, China
    These authors contributed equally to the article.)

  • Bingru Li

    (Beijing Research Center for Agricultural Standards and Testing, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Beijing 100097, China
    Risk Assessment Lab. for Agro-products (Beijing), Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China
    Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Agriculture Environment Monitoring, Beijing 100097, China)

  • Jimin Zuo

    (Station for popularizing agricultural technique, Daxing District, Beijing 100097, China)

  • Ligang Pan

    (Beijing Research Center for Agricultural Standards and Testing, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Beijing 100097, China
    Risk Assessment Lab. for Agro-products (Beijing), Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China
    Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Agriculture Environment Monitoring, Beijing 100097, China)

  • Xinhui Liu

    (Research Center for Eco-Environmental Engineering, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan 523808, China)

Abstract

Consumption of foodstuffs is the most likely route for human exposure to heavy metals. This study was designed to investigate the toxic metals (cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg)) concentrations in different foodstuffs (cereals, vegetables, fruits, fish, and meat) and then estimate the potential health risks of toxic metals via consumption to the local residents in Beijing, China. Most of the selected toxic metal levels in the foodstuffs were lower than the maximum allowable concentrations of Pb, Cr, Cd, As, and Hg for Chinese foodstuffs recommended in the China National Food Safety Standard. The health risks associated with the toxic metals Pb, Cr, Cd, As, and Hg were assessed based on the target hazard quotients (THQs) proposed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). The THQ values of the foodstuffs varied and were 0.03–0.29 for Cr, 0.02–0.23 for Pb, 0.01–0.33 for Cd, 0.01–0.06 for As, and 0.00–0.04 for Hg, not exceeding the maximum level of 1. The total THQ (TTHQ) values were 0.88 for vegetables, 0.57 for cereals, 0.46 for meat, 0.32 for fish, and 0.07 for fruits. This indicates that the risk contribution from vegetable intake (38.8%) was significant in comparison to that from other foodstuffs. The TTHQ values were 0.96 for Cr, 0.54 for Pb, 0.50 for Cd, 0.19 for As, and 0.09 for Hg, suggesting that Cr was a major risk contributor (41.7%) for the local residents of Beijing, which should attract great attention. However, the THQ/TTHQ values were all below 1, suggesting no health risks to the local population through consumption. Furthermore, dietary weekly intakes (WIs) were also calculated and the values were all lower than the proposed limit of Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intakes (PTWI) established by the the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). This suggests no additional health risks as well as consistency with the THQ results.

Suggested Citation

  • Gang Liang & Wenwen Gong & Bingru Li & Jimin Zuo & Ligang Pan & Xinhui Liu, 2019. "Analysis of Heavy Metals in Foodstuffs and an Assessment of the Health Risks to the General Public via Consumption in Beijing, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-10, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:6:p:909-:d:213572
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gang Liang & Ligang Pan & Xinhui Liu, 2017. "Assessment of Typical Heavy Metals in Human Hair of Different Age Groups and Foodstuffs in Beijing, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-10, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Qing Ma & Lina Han & Jiquan Zhang & Yichen Zhang & Qiuling Lang & Fengxu Li & Aru Han & Yongbin Bao & Kaiwei Li & Si Alu, 2019. "Environmental Risk Assessment of Metals in the Volcanic Soil of Changbai Mountain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-17, June.
    2. Szilárd Bartha & Ioan Taut & Győző Goji & Ioana Andra Vlad & Florin Dinulică, 2020. "Heavy Metal Content in PolyfloralHoney and Potential Health Risk. A Case Study of Copșa Mică, Romania," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-12, February.
    3. Vaida Šerevičienė & Aušra Zigmontienė & Dainius Paliulis, 2022. "Heavy Metals in Honey Collected from Contaminated Locations: A Case of Lithuania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-11, July.
    4. Guanghui Guo & Degang Zhang & Yuntao Wang, 2019. "Probabilistic Human Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal Intake via Vegetable Consumption around Pb/Zn Smelters in Southwest China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-17, September.

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