Heavy Metals in Foods Consumed by Copper Miners: A Health Risk Assessment

Due to the high occupational exposure of miners to heavy metals, the concentration of arsenic, cadmium, lead, copper, and zinc in raw and cooked foods consumed by mine workers and the risk assessment of the consumption of these foods were investigated. A total of 105 samples of raw and cooked foods and beverages were collected. Samples were oven-dried, digested with microwave-assisted nitric acid for the analysis of heavy metals using an ICP-OES. The health risk assessment was performed through hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) calculations. The concentrations of all heavy metals measured in both raw foods and cooked foods were lower than the permissible limits as determined by FAO/WHO and Iranian national standards. The HQ and HI for all metals were less than one, signifying no health risk from dietary exposure. Heavy metal levels in food taken by miners fell within permissible limits, but periodic monitoring is necessary because of miners' occupational exposure to heavy metals.