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A longitudinal investigation of solid-food based dietary exposure to selected elements
K A Scanlon1, D L MacIntosh, K A Hammerstrom
1Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, USA.
Journal of Exposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology
|November 30, 1999
Summary
Dietary exposure to arsenic and cadmium varied over a year in Maryland residents. Chromium and lead levels did not significantly change, suggesting single measurements may suffice for population variability.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Human Exposure Assessment
- Toxicology
Background:
- Understanding human exposure to environmental chemical contaminants is crucial for public health.
- Longitudinal studies provide insights into temporal variations in exposure.
- The National Human Exposure Assessment Survey (NHEXAS) aimed to assess such exposures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate temporal variability in dietary exposure to arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and lead.
- To determine if single measurements are sufficient to characterize population exposure variability.
- To assess individual variability in dietary exposure metrics over time.
Main Methods:
- Collected food consumption and duplicate diet samples from 80 individuals in Maryland over six cycles (1995-1996).
- Analyzed duplicate diet samples for arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and lead concentrations.
- Derived average daily intakes for each element and analyzed temporal and individual variability.
Main Results:
- Mean concentrations of arsenic and cadmium, and chromium intake, varied significantly across sampling cycles.
- Individual dietary exposure metrics showed high variability over time.
- Population dietary exposure distributions for arsenic and cadmium varied within a year, unlike chromium and lead.
Conclusions:
- Dietary exposure to arsenic and cadmium exhibits temporal variability in the population.
- Chromium and lead exposure may not show significant temporal population variability, potentially allowing single measurements for population assessment.
- Individual chronic exposure levels may still be inaccurately characterized by single measurements, even for elements without significant population temporal variability.