Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Trace elements in two staple cereals (rice and wheat) and associated health risk implications in Bangladesh

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Concentrations of fourteen trace elements (Cd, As, Pb, Cr, Ni, Zn, Se, Cu, Mo, Mn, Sb, Ba, V and Ag) in the composite samples of most frequently consumed two staple foods, i.e. rice and wheat (collected from 30 different agroecological zones for the first time in Bangladesh) were measured by ICP-MS. The mean concentrations (mg/kg fresh weight) of Cd, As, Pb, Cr, Ni, Zn, Se, Cu, Mo, Mn, Sb, Ba, V and Ag were found as 0.088, 0.321, 0.713, 0.183, 0.213, 13.178, 0.0256, 1.985, 0.102, 4.654, 0.0033, 0.144, 0.081 and 0.007 and 0.011, 0.281, 0.221, 0.352, 0.145, 15.472, 0.245, 1.894, 0.209, 22.077, 0.0012, 3.712, 0.023 and 0.0013 in rice and wheat samples, respectively. Dietary risk of human health (non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks) was assessed by USEPA deterministic approaches. Total target hazard quotient (THQ) values for As and Pb were higher than 1, suggesting that people would experience significant health risks from consuming rice and wheat. However, the THQ of other metals were all less than 1. Also, the estimation showed that the target carcinogenic risk (TR) of As and Pb exceeded the accepted risk level of 1 × 10−6. Moreover, concerning the nutritional requirements of essential elements for a sound health, the recommended doses for the daily intake of Mn was conveniently supplied by the studied cereals; however, Cr, Zn, Se, Cu and Mo were below the recommend daily allowances (RDAs). Thus, the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk of As and Pb with lower supplementation of essential elements via staple foods for Bangladeshi people is a matter of concern.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alam, M. G. M., Allinson, G., Stagnitti, F., Tanaka, A., & Westbrooke, M. (2002). Metal concentrations in rice and pulses of Samta Village, Bangladesh. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 69(3), 323–329.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ayoubi, S., Mehnatkesh, A., Jalalian, A., Sahrawat, K. L., & Gheysari, M. (2013). Relationships between grain protein, Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn contents in wheat and soil and topographic attributes. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, 60(5), 625–638.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • BBS (2011). Report of the household income and expenditure survey 2010. Bangladesh bureau of statistics. Statistics division, Ministry of Planning, Bangladesh, p. 45–58.

  • BGS & DPHE (2001). Arsenic contamination of groundwater in Bangladesh. British Geology Survey and Department of Public Health Engineering, Bangladesh, BGS Technical Report, WC/00/19.

  • Bhattacharyya, P., Chakraborty, A., Chakrabarti, K., Tripathy, S., & Powell, M. A. (2005). Chromium uptake by rice and accumulation in soil amended with municipal solid waste compost. Chemosphere, 60, 1481–1486.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blust, R. (2011). Fish physiology (pp. 291–326). San Diego: Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Broadley, M., Brown, P., Cakmak, I., Ma, J. F., Rengel, Z., & Zhao, F. (2012). Beneficial elements. Marschner’s mineral nutrition of higher plants (Third Edition) (pp. 249–269). San Diego: Academic.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Das, H. K., Mitra, A. K., Sengupta, P. K., Hossain, A., Islam, F., & Rabbani, G. H. (2004). Arsenic concentrations in rice, vegetables, and fish in Bangladesh: a preliminary study. Environment International, 30(3), 383–387.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • EFSA. (2006). Tolerable upper intake levels for vitamins and minerals. Parma: European Food Safety Authority.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ekholm, P., Reinivuo, H., Mattila, P., Pakkala, H., Koponen, J., Happonen, A., Hellstrom, J., & Ovaskainen, M. L. (2007). Changes in the mineral and trace element contents of cereals, fruits and vegetables in Finland. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 20, 487–495.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization). (1983). Compilation of legal limits for hazardous substances in fish and fishery products. FAO Fishery Circular No. 464 (pp. 5–10). Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

    Google Scholar 

  • FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization). (2006). Arsenic contamination of irrigation water, soil and crops in Bangladesh: Risk implications for sustainable agriculture and food safety in Asia. Bangkok: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forti, E., Salovaara, S., Cetin, Y., Bulgheroni, A., Tessadri, R., Pfaller, W., & Prieto, P. (2011). In vitro evaluation of the toxicity induced by nickel soluble and particulate forms in human airway epithelial cells. Toxicology in Vitro, 25, 454–461.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fraga, C. G. (2005). Relevance, essentiality and toxicity of trace elements in human health. Molecular Aspects of Medicine, 26(4–5), 235–244.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fu, J., Zhou, Q., Liu, J., Liu, W., Wang, T., Zhang, Q., & Jiang, G. (2008). High levels of heavy metals in rice (Oryza sativa L.) from a typical E-waste recycling area in southeast China and its potential risk to human health. Chemosphere, 71, 1269–1275.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia-Leston, J., Mendez, J., Pasaro, E., & Laffon, B. (2010). Genotoxic effects of lead: an updated review. Environment International, 36, 623–636.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldhaber, S. B. (2003). Trace element risk assessment: essentiality vs. toxicity. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 38(2), 232–242.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hallenbeck, W. H. (1993). Quantitative risk assessment for environmental and occupational health. Lewis: Chelsea.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harvey, C. (2010). Anthropogenic influences on groundwater arsenic concentrations in Bangladesh. Nature Geoscience, 3, 46–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hira, C. K., Partala, K., & Dhillon, K. S. (2004). Dietary selenium intake by men and women in high and low selenium areas of Punjab. Public Health Nutrition, 7(1), 39–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang, M., Zhou, S., Sun, B., & Zhao, Q. (2008). Heavy metals in wheat grain: assessment of potential health risk for inhabitants in Kunshan, China. Science of the Total Environment, 405, 54–61.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Islam, M. S., Ahmed, M. K., & Al-Mamun, M. H. (2014). Heavy metals in cereals and pulses: health implications in Bangladesh. Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, 62, 10828–10835.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Islam, M. S., Ahmed, M. K., & Al-Mamun, M. H. (2015). Determination of heavy metals in fish and vegetables in Bangladesh and health implications. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 0, 1–21.

  • JECFA. (2000). Evaluation of certain food additives and contaminants. Fifty-third report of the joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. WHO technical report series, No. 896. Geneva: World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karami, M., Afyuni, M., Khoshgoftarmanesh, A. H., Papritz, A., & Schulin, R. (2009). Grain zinc, iron, and copper concentrations of wheat grown in central iran and their relationships with soil and climate variables. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 57(22), 10876–10882.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khabaz-Saberi, H., Setter, T. L., & Waters, I. (2005). Waterlogging induces high to toxic concentrations of iron, aluminum, and manganese in wheat varieties on acidic soil. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 29(5), 899–911.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ljung, K. S., Kippler, M. J., Walter, G., Margaretha, G. G., Nermell, B. M., & Vahter, M. E. (2009). Maternal and early life exposure to manganese in rural Bangladesh. Environmental Science & Technology, 43(7), 2595–2601.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Munoz-Olivas, R., & Camara, C. (2001). Speciation related to human health. In L. Ebdon, L. Pitts, R. Cornelis, H. Crews, O. F. X. Donard, & P. Quevauviller (Eds.), Trace element speciation for environment, food and health (pp. 331–353). London: The Royal Society of Chemistry.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • National Academy of Sciences. (2001). Dietary reference intakes for vitamin A, vitamin K, arsenic, boron, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, vanadium, and zinc. Washington DC: National Academy of Sciences.

    Google Scholar 

  • Navarro-Alarcon, M., & Lopez-Martınez, M. C. (2000). Essentiality of selenium in the human body: relationship with different diseases. Science of the Total Environment, 249(1–3), 347–371.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nayyar, V. K., Arora, C. L., & Kataki, P. K. (2008). Management of soil micronutrient deficiencies in the rice-wheat cropping system. Journal of Crop Production, 4(1), 87–131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen, F. H. (2007). The clinical and nutritional importance of chromium—still debated after 50 years of research. The Nutritional Biochemistry of Chromium (III) (pp. 265–276). Amsterdam: Elsevier.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • NRC. (1989). Recommended dietary allowances, National Research Council (US) sub-committee. Washington: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pandey, J., & Pandey, U. (2009). Accumulation of heavy metals in dietary vegetables and cultivated soil horizon in organic farming system in relation to atmospheric deposition in a seasonally dry tropical region of India. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 148, 61–74.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rahman, S., & Hasan, M. K. (2008). Impact of environmental production conditions on productivity and efficiency: a case study of wheat farmers in Bangladesh. Journal of Environmental Management, 88, 1495–1504.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahman, M. M., Owens, G., & Naidu, R. (2009). Arsenic levels in rice grain and assessment of daily dietary intake of As from rice in As-contaminated regions of Bangladesh. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 31, 179–187.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rahman, M. A., Rahman, M. M., Reichman, S. M., Lim, R. P., & Naidu, R. (2014). Heavy metals in Australian grown and imported rice and vegetables on sale in Australia: health hazard. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 100, 53–60.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saha, N., & Zaman, M. R. (2013). Evaluation of possible health risks of heavy metals by consumption of foodstuffs available in the central market of Rajshahi City, Bangladesh. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 185, 3867–3878.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Santos, E. E., Lauri, D. C., & Silveira, P. C. L. (2004). Assessment of daily intake of trace elements due to consumption of foodstuffs by adult inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro city. Science of the Total Environment, 327, 69–79.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • SCHER (2012). Assessment of the tolerable daily intake of barium. Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks, Directorate of Public Health and Risk Assessment, European Commission.

  • Shtangeeva, I., Steinnes, E., & Lierhagen, S. (2011). Uptake of different forms of antimony by wheat and rye seedlings. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 19(2), 502–509.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, N. M., Lee, R., Heitkemper, D. T., Cafferky, K. D., Haque, A., & Henderson, A. K. (2006). Inorganic arsenic in cooked rice and vegetables from Bangladeshi households. Science of the Total Environment, 370, 294−301.

  • Timsina, J., & Connor, D. J. (2001). Productivity and management of rice–wheat cropping systems: issues and challenges. Field Crops Research, 69(2), 93–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tong, J., Guo, H., & Wei, C. (2014). Arsenic contamination of the soil–wheat system irrigated with high arsenic groundwater in the Hetao Basin, Inner Mongolia, China. Science of the Total Environment, 496, 479–487.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tuzen, M. (2009). Toxic and essential trace elemental contents in fish species from the Black Sea, Turkey. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 47, 1785–1790.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • USEPA. (1986). Guidelines for the health risk assessment of chemical mixtures. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Federal Register, 51, 34014–34025.

    Google Scholar 

  • USEPA. (1987). Health effects assessment for vanadium and compounds. Cincinnati: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office. PA/600/8-88/061.

    Google Scholar 

  • USEPA. (1989). Guidance manual for assessing human health risks from chemically contaminated, fish and shellfish. Washington: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA-503/8-89-002.

    Google Scholar 

  • USEPA (2005). Risk-Based Concentration Table, April, 2005. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 3, Philadelphia, PA, Available from: http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/risk/human/index.html.

  • USEPA. (2009). Risk-based concentration table. Washington: Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Agency.

    Google Scholar 

  • USEPA. (2010). Risk-based concentration table. U.S.: Environmental Protection Agency. Available from: http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/risk/human/index.html.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, X., Sato, T., Xing, B., & Tao, S. (2005). Health risks of heavy metals to the general public in Tianjin, China via consumption of vegetables and fish. Science of the Total Environment, 350, 28–37.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • WHO. (1985). Guidelines for the study of dietary intakes of chemical contaminants. WHO Offset Publication No. 87 (pp. 1–100). Geneva: World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO. (1996). Guidelines for drinking-water quality (2nd ed., Vol. 2). Geneva: World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, P. N., Price, A. H., Raab, A., Hossain, S. A., Feldmann, J., & Meharg, A. A. (2005). Variation in arsenic speciation and concentration in paddy rice related to dietary exposure. Environmental Science & Technology, 39, 5531–5540.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, F., Fu, Z., Liu, B., Mo, C., Chen, B., Corns, W., & Liao, H. (2011). Health risk associated with dietary co-exposure to high levels of antimony and arsenic in the world’s largest antimony mine area. Science of the Total Environment, 409(18), 3344–3351.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, F. J., Lopez-Bellido, F. J., Gray, C. W., Whalley, W. R., Clark, L. J., & McGrath, S. P. (2007). Effects of soil compaction and irrigation on the concentrations of selenium and arsenic in wheat grains. Science of the Total Environment, 372(2–3), 433–439.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng, N., Wang, Q., Zhang, X., Zheng, D., Zhang, Z., & Zhang, S. (2007). Population health risk due to dietary intake of heavy metals in the industrial area of Huludao city, China. Science of the Total Environment, 387, 96–104.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the authority of the Centre of Excellence, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh and Yokohama National University, Japan, for providing laboratory facilities.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Fisheries, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh

    Md. Habibullah-Al-Mamun

  2. Department of Risk Management and Environmental Sciences, Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 240-8501, Japan

    Md. Habibullah-Al-Mamun

  3. Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh

    Md. Kawser Ahmed

  4. Institute of Nutrition and Food Science (INFS), University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh

    Nazma Shaheen, Saiful Islam & Cadi Parvin Banu

  5. Department of Soil Science, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali, 8602, Bangladesh

    Md. Saiful Islam

Authors
  1. Md. Kawser Ahmed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nazma Shaheen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Md. Saiful Islam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Md. Habibullah-Al-Mamun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Saiful Islam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Cadi Parvin Banu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Md. Habibullah-Al-Mamun.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(DOCX 230 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ahmed, M.K., Shaheen, N., Islam, M.S. et al. Trace elements in two staple cereals (rice and wheat) and associated health risk implications in Bangladesh. Environ Monit Assess 187, 326 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4576-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4576-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation