Heavy metals and essential elements in Italian cereals
P Brizio1, A Benedetto1, S Squadrone1
1a Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte , Liguria e Valle d'Aosta , Torino , Italy.
Food Additives & Contaminants. Part B, Surveillance
|July 9, 2016
Summary
Essential trace elements like copper and zinc in cereals can be contaminated by toxic metals such as cadmium and lead. This study in Italy found varying levels of these elements in rice, oats, barley, and corn, highlighting dietary risks.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Environmental Chemistry
- Food Safety
Background:
- Cereals for human consumption can accumulate essential trace elements (e.g., copper, zinc) and toxic metals (e.g., cadmium, lead).
- Agricultural and industrial activities in North-western Italy create a potential for crop contamination.
- Understanding the interrelationship between these elements is crucial for food safety and human nutrition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interrelationship between essential trace elements and toxic metals in various cereals.
- To assess the contamination levels of toxic metals in cereals grown in North-western Italy.
- To provide insights into dietary strategies for mitigating risks associated with toxic element exposure.
Main Methods:
- Elemental analysis of cereal samples (rice, oats, barley, corn) using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
- Quantification of essential elements (copper, zinc, nickel) and toxic elements (aluminum, cadmium, lead).
- Statistical correlation analysis to identify trends between essential and toxic element concentrations.
Main Results:
- Rice, oats, and barley exhibited higher median levels of aluminum, cadmium, and lead compared to corn.
- Barley showed the highest median concentrations of copper and zinc, while oats had higher nickel content.
- Rice displayed the lowest median levels for essential elements among the analyzed cereals.
- Correlation studies indicated consistent trends between toxic and essential elements in the sampled cereals.
Conclusions:
- Cereal crops in North-western Italy show varying degrees of contamination by toxic metals.
- The distribution of essential and toxic elements differs across cereal types, with rice being lowest in essential elements.
- Dietary diversification is recommended to minimize potential adverse health effects from toxic element exposure through contaminated cereals.
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