Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2014 Feb;100:53-60. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2013.11.024. Epub 2013 Dec 20.

Heavy metals in Australian grown and imported rice and vegetables on sale in Australia: health hazard.

Rahman MA1, Rahman MM2, Reichman SM3, Lim RP4, Naidu R5.

• 1Centre for Environmental Sustainability, School of the Environment, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia. Electronic address: rahmanmazizur@gmail.com.
• 2Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation (CERAR), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC-CARE), PO Box 486, Salisbury South, SA 5106, Australia.
• 3School of Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia.
• 4Centre for Environmental Sustainability, School of the Environment, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia.
• 5Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation (CERAR), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC-CARE), PO Box 486, Salisbury South, SA 5106, Australia. Electronic address: ravi.naidu@crccare.com.

Abstract

Dietary exposure to heavy metals is a matter of concern for human health risk through the consumption of rice, vegetables and other major foodstuffs.

In the present study, we investigated concentrations of cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in Australian grown and imported rice and vegetables on sale in Australia.

The mean concentrations of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in Australian grown rice were 7.5 µg kg(-1), 21 µg kg(-1), 144 µg kg(-1), 2.9 mg kg(-1), 24.4 mg kg(-1), 166 µg kg(-1), 375 µg kg(-1), and 17.1 mg kg(-1) dry weight (d. wt.), respectively.

• Bangladeshi rice- Except Cd, heavy metal concentrations in Australian grown rice were higher than Bangladeshi rice on sale in Australia.
• Indian rice - However, the concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, and Ni in Indian rice on sale in Australia were higher than Australian grown rice.
• Vietnamese rice - The concentrations of Cu and Ni in Vietnamese rice, and that of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb in Thai rice on sale in Australia were also higher than Australian grown rice.
• Pakistani rice - Heavy metal concentrations in Pakistani rice on sale in Australia were substantially lower than that in Australian grown rice.

In Australian grown rice varieties, the concentrations of heavy metals were considerably higher in brown rice varieties than white rice varieties, indicating Australian brown rice as a potential source of dietary heavy metals for Australian consumers.

The mean concentrations of heavy metals in Australian grown and Bangladeshi vegetables on sale in Australia were also determined. Some of the Australian grown and Bangladeshi vegetables contained heavy metals higher than Australian standard maximum limits indicating them as potential sources of dietary heavy metals for Australian consumers.

Further investigation is required to estimate health risks of heavy metals from rice and vegetables consumption for Australian consumers.

© 2013 Published by Elsevier Inc.

KEYWORDS:

Australia; Heavy metals; Human health hazard; Rice; Vegetables

PMID:

24433791