Probabilistic assessment of cumulative heavy metal exposure from staple foods in a selenium-endemic area: Implications for dietary risk management.

Toxic metal exposure from canned foods: a comprehensive risk assessment study in the middle east

Heavy metal contamination in food remains a major public health concern, particularly in regions with limited routine monitoring. This study evaluated the concentrations of toxic metals in commonly consumed canned plant-based foods marketed in Erbil, Iraq. A total of 54 samples of canned tomatoes, olives, and mixed vegetables from six commercial brands were analyzed for lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), and mercury (Hg) using atomic absorption spectrometry. Health risk indicators, including chronic daily intake (CDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI), and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR), were calculated based on FAO/WHO and U.S. EPA models. The concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Cr frequently exceeded permissible limits, while elevated levels of Zn and Hg were also observed in several samples. Although THQ and HI values were below 1, indicating no significant non-carcinogenic risk, ILCR values for Pb, Cd, and Cr exceeded the acceptable threshold (10⁻6-10⁻4), suggesting potential long-term carcinogenic risk. Among the studied products, canned vegetables exhibited the highest contamination levels. This study provides baseline data for monitoring heavy metal contamination in canned foods and supports the need for stricter regulatory control in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. KEY WORDS: Canned foods, Carcinogenic risk, Heavy metals, Incremental lifetime cancer risk, Target hazard quotient Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2026, 40(11), 2319-2331 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v40i11.3                                                                    

Probabilistic Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals from a Typical Soil–Crop System Around a High-Altitude Industrial Park

The transfer of heavy metals (HMs) from industrial park soils to edible crops is strongly crop-specific; however, these differences have not been considered in probabilistic dietary health risk assessments. This study examined agricultural fields surrounding a high-altitude industrial park in southwestern China, where paired samples of surface soil, Chinese cabbage, and maize were collected and analyzed for Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Hg, and As. Spearman rank correlation and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to identify elemental associations and probable sources; bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) were calculated to compare HM transfer and accumulation across the two crops; and Monte Carlo simulation was used to estimate probabilistic dietary health risks across age groups. The results showed that soil HMs in the study area displayed mixed-source characteristics, with marked enrichment of Pb, Cd, and Hg. After multiple comparison correction, only soil Ni showed a significant positive correlation with Ni in maize. Chinese cabbage had a relatively high accumulation capacity for Cd, whereas maize grains showed relatively limited transfer of most HMs, indicating pronounced crop-specific differences. Cd, Pb, Cr, Hg, and As concentrations in Chinese cabbage remained within permissible limits. For health risk, P95 hazard index (HI) values stayed below 1 across all age groups, indicating that non-carcinogenic risk was generally acceptable under the exposure scenarios evaluated; adults, however, carried higher estimated lifetime carcinogenic risk than other age groups. Sensitivity analysis revealed that As and Cd in Chinese cabbage were the dominant contributors to non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks, respectively, while the contribution of Cr to risk estimates was highly dependent on its speciation and toxicological parameter assumptions. By combining soil–crop monitoring, bioaccumulation analysis, and probabilistic risk assessment, this study characterizes crop-specific HM transfer patterns and identifies the principal drivers of health risk in industrially influenced agricultural systems, providing a scientific basis for risk-oriented monitoring, food safety management, and the long-term sustainable use of agricultural land in industrial–agricultural interface regions.

From environment to human: systematic assessment of heavy metal contamination and exposure in a typical karst agricultural area

Potentially Toxic Element (PTE) Contamination in Raw Cow Milk: Insights into Concentration Levels and Dietary Exposure Risk Assessment.

Potentially Toxic Elements in Foods Consumed in Uganda: Occurrence, Dietary Exposure, and Public Health Risks

Potentially toxic element (PTE) contamination of food systems has emerged as an important environmental and public health concern in many developing countries, including Uganda, owing to rapid urbanization, industrialization, mining activities, wastewater reuse, informal waste disposal, and expanding urban agriculture. This review synthesizes evidence from peer-reviewed and selected grey literature on the occurrence of cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As) in cereals, vegetables, tubers, livestock products, fish, fruits, and processed foods consumed in Uganda. A structured literature synthesis and screening-level dietary risk assessment using estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI), carcinogenic risk (CR), and total carcinogenic risk (TCR) were conducted to identify contamination hotspots, priority exposure pathways, and potential public health implications. The available evidence revealed substantial spatial variability, with contamination consistently concentrated in mining-influenced agricultural areas, wastewater-irrigated farms, municipal dumpsites, industrial corridors, and urban food markets. Vegetables, cereals, livestock products, fish, and street-vended foods exhibited the greatest contamination burdens, while Pb and Cd were the PTEs most frequently reported exceeding WHO/FAO, Codex Alimentarius, and Ugandan food safety limits. Screening-level risk estimates indicated that Pb, Cd, and Cr contributed most to cumulative dietary exposure, with children consistently exhibiting higher EDI, THQ, HI, and TCR values than adults because of greater food intake relative to body weight. Although cumulative HI and TCR values exceeded recommended screening thresholds in several hotspot regions, these estimates should be interpreted as conservative screening-level indicators derived from heterogeneous published datasets rather than nationally representative measures of dietary exposure. Overall, the evidence indicates that PTE contamination in Ugandan food systems is predominantly hotspot-driven and highlights the need for targeted surveillance, standardized monitoring and reporting, improved pollution control, and strengthened food safety management to reduce chronic dietary exposure and protect public health.

Heavy metal contamination in food crops in Lebanon and health risk analysis