The accumulation of heavy metals and metalloids in soils affects regional eco-safety and can constitute a concern for human health. Once transferred from soil pore water into the plants through the roots, heavy metals and metalloids have the capacity to accumulate in the edible parts of the plants and to enter in the food chain, causing adverse toxicological effects for the consumers. Arsenic is a widely found contaminant which occurs both naturally and as a result of human activity. The presence of arsenic and its mobilization are highly dependent upon geographical conditions, environmental factors, redox conditions, and pH. In Latium (central Italy) high arsenic concentrations have been detected in soil and phytoavailable geogenic arsenic enters the food chain. As a result, local population may be exposed to inorganic arsenic through consumption of food, and in particular of vegetables with higher arsenic concentrations than background ones. After conducting preliminary analysis of soil characteristics, in the first part of this work, plants of radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) were grown in protected culture in the experimental farm of CREA-AA and daily treated with different concentrations of sodium arsenate dibasic heptahydrate in order to investigate differences in the arsenic accumulation capacities between these vegetables and trying to identify a correlation between the content of arsenic in irrigation water and its accumulation in vegetables.Once this preliminary study has been conducted and data were analysed statistically, in order to confirm the results obtained, ready-to-use/fresh cut radish and lettuce were purchased from large-scale retail distribution and other samples were obtained directly from farms situated in contaminated areas of Latium. The samples were then harvested, dried and mineralized. After the extraction, samples were analysed using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) to determine the concentration of arsenic. Specifically, the aim of the second part of this study was to determine the concentration of arsenic in commercial products from contaminated areas of Latium and estimate the potential exposition risk for human health through consumption of these widely consumed vegetables. Moreover, also in this case have been detected higher arsenic concentrations in the samples of lettuce. To evaluate the potential health risk from consumption of Lactuca s. and Raphanus s., we have calculated the estimated daily intake (EDI) for adults, finding that HRI (Health Risk Index) index value for arsenic was low (<1) in the case of chronic consumptions for all samples of radishes, and for the lettuces grown in the area of Viterbo. On the contrary, the lettuces obtained from Tuscania and Tarquinia presented very high concentrations of arsenic and a worrying value of the HRI value (>1).
A PERSPECTIVE ON THE POTENTIAL HEALTH RISK OF ARSENIC VIA DIETARY INTAKE OF RADISH AND LETTUCE FROM LATIUM
Carelli A.;Papetti P.
;
2018-01-01
Abstract
The accumulation of heavy metals and metalloids in soils affects regional eco-safety and can constitute a concern for human health. Once transferred from soil pore water into the plants through the roots, heavy metals and metalloids have the capacity to accumulate in the edible parts of the plants and to enter in the food chain, causing adverse toxicological effects for the consumers. Arsenic is a widely found contaminant which occurs both naturally and as a result of human activity. The presence of arsenic and its mobilization are highly dependent upon geographical conditions, environmental factors, redox conditions, and pH. In Latium (central Italy) high arsenic concentrations have been detected in soil and phytoavailable geogenic arsenic enters the food chain. As a result, local population may be exposed to inorganic arsenic through consumption of food, and in particular of vegetables with higher arsenic concentrations than background ones. After conducting preliminary analysis of soil characteristics, in the first part of this work, plants of radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) were grown in protected culture in the experimental farm of CREA-AA and daily treated with different concentrations of sodium arsenate dibasic heptahydrate in order to investigate differences in the arsenic accumulation capacities between these vegetables and trying to identify a correlation between the content of arsenic in irrigation water and its accumulation in vegetables.Once this preliminary study has been conducted and data were analysed statistically, in order to confirm the results obtained, ready-to-use/fresh cut radish and lettuce were purchased from large-scale retail distribution and other samples were obtained directly from farms situated in contaminated areas of Latium. The samples were then harvested, dried and mineralized. After the extraction, samples were analysed using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) to determine the concentration of arsenic. Specifically, the aim of the second part of this study was to determine the concentration of arsenic in commercial products from contaminated areas of Latium and estimate the potential exposition risk for human health through consumption of these widely consumed vegetables. Moreover, also in this case have been detected higher arsenic concentrations in the samples of lettuce. To evaluate the potential health risk from consumption of Lactuca s. and Raphanus s., we have calculated the estimated daily intake (EDI) for adults, finding that HRI (Health Risk Index) index value for arsenic was low (<1) in the case of chronic consumptions for all samples of radishes, and for the lettuces grown in the area of Viterbo. On the contrary, the lettuces obtained from Tuscania and Tarquinia presented very high concentrations of arsenic and a worrying value of the HRI value (>1).I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
