Element differences and evaluation of the dietary intake from farmed oysters and mussels collected at different sites along the Croatian coast of the Adriatic Sea

Concentrations of the macroelements Ca, Mg, K and Na, microelements Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn and toxic metals As, Cd, Hg and Pb were determined in oysters and mussels collected at farming sites in the northern, central and south Adriatic Sea. Mean concentrations in oysters were (mg kg⁻¹): As 4.51, Ca 1551, Cd 1.44, Cu 53.6, Cr 0.23, Fe 45.9, Hg 0.047, K 2476, Mg 895, Mn 2.80, Na 7148, Pb 0.52, Zn 675. Mean values in mussels were (mg kg⁻¹): As 4.71, Ca 601, Cd 0.37, Cu 1.91, Cr 0.29, Fe 49.6, Hg 0.026, K 2246, Mg 1043, Mn 2.49, Na 7992, Pb 0.58, Zn 28.8. Significant differences in the concentrations of toxic metals and elements were found in oysters and mussels among farming sites. Obtained Cd, Hg and Pb concentration in oysters and mussels were lower than the limit levels set by the European Community. However, Cd concentration exceeded the limit level of 1 mg kg⁻¹ in oysters from all locations except Lim Bay. The estimated daily intakes (EDIs) indicate that oysters are a good source of Ca, Cu and Zn. The higher Cu and Zn concentrations than the toxicity reference values suggest a risk for consumers if larger quantities of oysters are consumed frequently.     

Distribution of essential and non-essential elements in rice located in a Protected Natural Reserve “Marjal de Pego-Oliva”

Anthropogenic agronomic practices could negatively affect the agricultural soil which is the main source for inorganic arsenic (i-As) contamination in rice fields due to flooding. The presence of essential elements could be impacted by food industry units operations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of husking and polishing on mineral essential elements and inorganic As species in rice from Protected Natural Reserve “Marjal de Pego-Oliva”. The amount of all studied elements was significantly affected by husking (a decrease of Ca, Na and Pb, 360 to 101 mg kg⁻¹, 202 to 46.9 mg kg^-1 and 17.9 to 5.70 μg kg⁻¹, respectively) and by polishing (a reduction of Na, Mg, P, K, Ca and Cu, 46.9–26.8 mg kg⁻¹, 1600 to 481 mg kg⁻¹, 4050 to 1530 mg kg⁻¹, 2780 to 882 mg kg⁻¹, 101 to 53.7 mg kg⁻¹, and 3600 to 2840, μg kg⁻¹, respectively).The replacement of white rice (WR) to brown rice (BR) could enhance the daily dietary intake of essential elements to reach the dietary reference values and the maximum i-As (40.9 and 44.9 i-As μg kg^-1 for BR and WR, respectively) was below the maximum level recently established by European Food Safety Agency.     

Major and trace elements levels in multifloral and unifloral honeys in Croatia

Different honey types were collected in Croatia during 2010 and 2011: 7 multifloral orchard honeys, 7 multifloral meadow honeys, 19 black locust, 9 chestnut, 11 lime and 6 sage honeys. Elements were measured using graphite (As, Cu, Cd, Pb, Se) and flame atomic absorption spectrometer (Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Zn) and by mercury analyser (Hg). Significant differences in Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Zn, As and Hg levels were observed between honey types. In chestnut honey were determined (K, Ca, Mg: mg kg⁻¹; Hg, Ad, Cd: μg kg⁻¹): the highest concentrations of K 2824.4, Ca 486.7, Mg 59.1 and Hg 2.52; the lowest of As 24.1 and Cd 2.52. Lime honey has been shown the highest content of Cu (20.6 mg kg⁻¹), Zn (6.78 mg kg⁻¹), Cd (2.14 μg kg⁻¹) and Pb (810.3 μg kg⁻¹). The lowest levels of following elements were determined in black locust honey (Fe, K, Mg: mg kg⁻¹; Hg: μg kg⁻¹): Fe 2.77, K 304.7, Mg 8.02 and Hg 0.82. Sage honey had the lowest Ca and Na content (173.9 and 31.8 mg kg⁻¹). Among the multifloral honeys, the following was determined (Fe, Na, Cu: mg kg⁻¹; As, Pb: μg kg⁻¹): orchard honey – highest of Fe 5.17 and As 276.1, lowest Pb 301; meadow honey – highest Na 36.1, lowest Cu 4.38. The average Ca, Cu and Pb levels found in multifloral honey types were much higher than those reported in other European countries. Calcium levels in lime, chestnut and black locust were higher than those from other countries.     

Element analysis of dried figs (Ficus carica L.) from the Mediterranean areas

The minerals content of 36 dried figs samples collected from three Mediterranean areas in 2018 was presented in this study. The aim of this research was to evaluate whether the mineral elements amounts were significantly different among the production regions. Samples grown in Italy, Greece and Turkey were analyzed in this study. Samples were found to be a good source of potassium (average content between 3.5 ± 0.2 g kg⁻¹ and 8.12 ± 0.88 g kg⁻¹), calcium (between 1.46 ± 0.24 g kg⁻¹ and 4.49 ± 0.28 g kg⁻¹), magnesium (between 0.84 ± 0.04 g kg⁻¹ and 1.28 ± 0.15 g kg⁻¹), and sodium (between 0.45 ± 0.04 g kg⁻¹ and 0.70 ± 0.11 g kg⁻¹). Cadmium ad lead concentrations were always below the regulated values and below the quantification limit in all Italian samples, whereas chromium was detected in all samples from Greece (0.05 ± 0.01 mg kg⁻¹) and Turkey (0.03 ± 0.01 mg kg⁻¹), and in 65 % of samples from Italy (0.08 ± 0.02 mg kg⁻¹). Results confirm the good figs quality related to their essential trace elements content and they highlight the safety of these food products correlated to the intake of toxic elements. Furthermore, statistical analysis of the results pointed out that the mineral elements amount is significantly different among the three sample groups, hence it is possible to discriminate figs according to their geographical origin by PCA.     

Essential and non-essential elements in Brazilian infant food and other rice-based products frequently consumed by children and celiac population

Rice and its derivatives are important source of essential and non-essential elements. Essential elements as cobalt (Co) and selenium (Se) are vital for human homeostasis. However, non-essential elements such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) may be present in rice-based food and consequently, people can be exposed—especially children and the celiac population. This study aimed to determine essentials and non-essentials elements in rice-based products and baby food and also to evaluate nutritional risk by estimating the daily intake of non-essential elements. Regarding essential elements, Co and Se presented the highest concentrations in rice flour (56 μg kg⁻¹) and porridge (254 μg kg⁻¹), respectively. For non-essential elements, the highest concentrations of As, Cd and Pb were 104 μg kg⁻¹ (porridge), 16 μg kg⁻¹ (flour), and 188 μg kg⁻¹ (bread), respectively. Total As concentration in Brazilian rice-based baby food was <29 μg kg⁻¹. However, As-speciation revealed inorganic-As (i-As) as the main specie. The highest estimated daily intake of Cd, Pb and i-As were 1.37 (rice-based baby food); 10.39 (pasta); and 3.34 (pasta) μg d⁻¹, respectively. Therefore, continuous food monitoring for nutritional and toxicological purpose is necessary, especially concerning these particular populations and discussions for maximum levels of non-essential elements.     

Comparison of the chemical composition of British and Continental European bottled waters by multivariate analysis

The elemental composition of 37 bottled waters from the UK and continental Europe has been determined. Ca, K, Mg, Na, Al, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sr, U, V and Zn were determined by ICP-OES and ICP-MS, in addition to inorganic and total organic carbon. The composition of all the waters analysed fell within the guideline values recommended by the World Health Organization. Na, Ca, Sr and Ba showed the widest variation in concentrations, ranging over two orders of magnitude. Levels of Fe were below the limit of detection (30 μg L⁻¹) in all samples analysed. Waters produced in the UK generally showed lower levels of most major elements and trace metals, with the exception of Ba (up to 455 μg L⁻¹). Italian waters showed the highest concentrations of Sr (3000–8000 μg L⁻¹) and U (8–13 μg L⁻¹), whereas waters produced in Slovakia and the Czech Republic showed the highest levels of Pb (0.7–4 μg L⁻¹). The use of multivariate analysis reveals an association between high alkaline metal content and high concentrations of As and Cr. There also appears to be a correlation between high Ca and Sr content and high levels of U. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicates that the composition of bottled water can be distinguished primarily by the country of origin, over other factors including the geological environment of the source. This would suggest that composition reflects, and is biased towards, consumer preferences.     

Determination and health risk assessment of heavy metals in imported rice bran oil in Iran

In this current study, the contents of heavy metals including Pb, As, Cr, Cd, Zn, Cu, and Mn in imported rice bran oil in Iran were investigated with microwave digestion method based on an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry system (ICP-OES). The concentrations range of Pb, Cr, Cd, As, Zn, and Cu in rice bran oil samples were measured as 0.066–0.30, 0.008–0.014, 0.005–0.01, 0.047–0.01, 0.025–0.74 and 0.01–0.096 μg/g, respectively. A significant difference (p-value < 0.05) in the mean concentration of Pb in imported rice bran oils samples was observed. The sum of incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for heavy metals for children and adults were 2.6 × 10⁻⁴ and 2.4 × 10⁻⁵, respectively, which an acceptable level proposed values (10⁻⁴–10⁻⁶) by U.S. EPA. Moreover, the target hazard quotients (THQs) of As, Pb, Cr, Cd, Cu, and Zn for children were limited to between 1.17 × 10^-5 and 9.49 × 10⁻⁹, and in adults were limited to 2.33 × 10⁻⁷and 6.82 × 10^-7, which were lower than the acceptable limit (THQ < 1). There have been concerns regarding heavy metals since past up to now in all foodstuffs. We demonstrated in this study that there are traceable concentrations of heavy metals in six brand of rice bran oils.     

Exposure to nickel through commercial premade baby foods: Is there any risk?

A study was performed to evaluate the risk regarding the presence of nickel in commercial premade baby foods: 26 ready meals, 31 fruits, 8 deserts and 20 paps. The analytical methodology used for the determination of nickel was dry ashing followed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Method detection limit (12.5 μg kg⁻¹) was obtained through a matrix matched calibration curve, using a nickel free commercial ready meal (meat).The results showed that 78 (91.8 %) samples contained nickel, with values up to 225.7 μg kg⁻¹. The group with the highest average concentration was the fruits (50.1 μg kg⁻¹) followed by the ready meals (40.2 μg kg⁻¹). Samples from organic farming presented higher detection frequency and average concentration (54.7 μg kg⁻¹) than the others. Using the average results, the tolerable daily intake proposed by EFSA (2.8 μg kg⁻¹ b.w.) was surpassed for the 2 year old age group, with daily ingestions up to 3.1 μg kg⁻¹ b.w.. This results highlight the risk promoted by the nickel present in commercial premade baby food.     

Assessment of in vitro bioacessibility of macrominerals and trace elements in green banana flour

The in vitro gastrointestinal simulation allows estimating the bioaccessible fraction (BF), thus indicating the real nutritional food value. Most studies that use in vitro tests assess the antioxidant capacity of foods, however, the bioaccessibility of elements is still little explored, mainly in functional foods, as the green banana flour (GB). Therefore, this paper describes the total concentration and BF of Mg, Ca, Zn, Mn, Cu and Fe in different brands of GB flours. The chemical composition and phytic acid (PA) concentration were also determined. In general, the highest concentrations (mg 100 g⁻¹) of the total mineral were obtained for Mg (99.2–161) > Ca (27.9–74.7) > Fe (2.6–11). The highest gastrointestinal BF (%) were obtained for Mg (84–101), Mn (80–85), Cu (70–87) and Zn (76–92). The elements that were directly affected by the presence of PA were Ca and Fe, with BF ranging from 24 to 34 % and 21–35 %, respectively, most likely due to the formation of insoluble complexes in the conditions of the gastrointestinal tract. According to achieved results, based on total concentration, proximate composition and bioacessibility of elements, GB can provide an adequate intake of Mg, Cu, Fe and proteins, making its inclusion in the daily diet of great relevance.     

Levels of Metals and Organochlorine Pesticides in Kidney,Liver, and Muscle Tissues of Wild Boars (Sus scrofa) from Hatay Province,Eastern Mediterranean Region,Turkey

Increases in the levels of environmental contaminants are reflected in wild animals, which are early indicators of pollution. Hatay is an ecologically important region with a high intensity of industrial and agricultural activities. This study aimed to investigate the contamination levels of metals and organochlorine pesticides associated with environmental pollution in tissues of wild boars from Turkey. The highest mean levels (mg kg⁻¹) of metals were 0.05 for As, 0.51 for Cd, 6.30 for Cu, 0.07 for Hg, 0.54 for Ni, and 0.57 for Pb in kidney tissues and 0.22 for Cr, 353.38 for Fe, 2.86 for Mn, and 46.76 for Zn in liver tissues. The Cd and Pb levels exceeded the maximum residue limits (MRLs) in some tissues. Among the studied pesticides, only p,p′-DDE contamination was quantified, and the mean levels were 3.6, 0.1, and 0.5 µg kg⁻¹ in liver, kidney, and muscle tissues respectively. In conclusion, Hatay Province requires monitoring in terms of environmentally important contaminants, mainly Cd, Pb, and DDT isomers.

     

Heavy Metal Contamination of Arable Soil and Corn Plant in the Vicinity of a Zinc Smelting Factory and Stabilization by Liming

The heavy metal contamination in soils and cultivated corn plants affected by zinc smelting activities in the vicinity of a zinc smelting factory in Korea was studied. Soils and corn plants were sampled at the harvesting stage and analyzed for cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) concentration, as well as Cd and Zn fraction and other chemical properties of soils. Cd and Zn were highly accumulated in the surface soils (0–20 cm), at levels higher than the Korean warning criteria (Cd, 1.5; Zn, 300 mg kg⁻¹), with corresponding mean values of 1.7 and 407 mg kg⁻¹, respectively, but these metals decreased significantly with increasing soil depth and distance from the factory, implying that contaminants may come from the factory through aerosol dynamics (Hong et al., Kor J Environ Agr 26(3):204–209, 2007a; Environ Contam Toxicol 52:496–502, 2007b) and not from geological sources. The leaf part had higher Cd and Zn concentrations, with values of 9.5 and 1733 mg kg⁻¹, compared to the stem (1.6 and 547 mg kg⁻¹) and grain (0.18 and 61 mg kg⁻¹) parts, respectively. Cd and Zn were higher in the oxidizable fraction, at 38.5% and 46.9% of the total Cd (2.6 mg kg⁻¹) and Zn (407 mg kg⁻¹), but the exchangeable + acidic fraction of Cd and Zn as the bioavailable phases was low, 0.2 and 50 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. To study the reduction of plant Cd and Zn uptake by liming, radish (Raphanus sativa L.) was cultivated in one representative field among the sites investigated, and Ca(OH)₂ was applied at rates of 0, 2, 4, and 8 mg ha⁻¹. Plant Cd and Zn concentrations and NH₄OAc extractable Cd and Zn concentrations of soil decreased significantly with increasing Ca(OH)₂ rate, since it markedly increases the cation exchange capacity of soil induced by increased pH. As a result, liming in this kind of soil could be an effective countermeasure in reducing the phytoextractability of Cd and Zn.     

Translocation and Bioaccumulation of Metals in Oryza sativa and Zea mays Growing in Chromite-Asbestos Contaminated Agricultural Fields,Jharkhand, India

The present study involves the assessment of metals (Cr, Ni, Pb and Cd) in contaminated agricultural soil (CAS) and abandoned chromite-asbestos waste (CW). High concentrations of Cr and Ni were found in CW (1,121–2,802 mg Cr kg^?1; 985–1,720 mg Ni kg^?1), which CAS (1,058–1,242 mg Cr kg^?1; 1,002–1,295 mg Ni kg^?1). Zea mays and Oryza sativa showed significant amounts of metals in root and aerial parts. The primary factors only consider the changes in metal concentrations in soil and plant, while dynamic factor includes both changes in metal concentration and environmental processes. In spite of the high concentration of Cr present in contaminated soils and crops, significant translocation of metals (>1) were found only for Pb and Ni, when primary factor was used. When dynamic factor was used, higher translocation (>1) and bioaccumulation (>1) were found for Cr along with Pb and Ni. The current study concludes that assessment of metal toxicity in CAS and crops could be better evaluated by using both primary and dynamic factors.     

Microwave induced plasma optical emission spectrometry for multielement determination in instant soups

This paper presents the use of microwave induced plasma optical emission spectrometry (MIP OES) for food analysis. A method for determination of Cu, K, Mg, Mn, P, and Zn in instant soups by MIP OES with N₂ plasma was developed. Sample preparation procedure consisted of microwave-assisted digestion with dilute nitric acid solution. Accuracy was evaluated based on the analysis of three certified reference materials: NIST 1515 (apple leaves), NIST 1568b (rice flour) and NIST 3234 (soy flour). Recoveries ranged from 83.3–107.5 % for target elements in these materials. Addition and recovery experiments were performed and recoveries ranged from 86.0–106.0 %. All determinations were performed using external calibration. Limits of detection for Cu, K, Mg, Mn, P, and Zn were 0.09, 4.9, 1.0, 0.04, 5.4 and 0.88 mg kg^-1, respectively. Concentrations ranges of Cu, K, Mg, Mn, P and Zn in various types of instant soups samples were found between 1.31–13.8, 1135 - 17.824, 172–567, 1.72–12.1, 608 - 1826 and 2.90–12.1 mg kg^-1, respectively. The use of N₂ microwave-induced plasma is demonstrated as a low cost alternative for routine analysis.     

Assessment of Lead and Cadmium Pollution in Soil and Wild Plants at Different Functional Areas of Sialkot

Heavy metal pollution is a great hazard to the environment that enters the ecosystem through different natural and anthropogenic sources. A study was performed to evaluate concentrations of Cd and Pb in selected plants, Ricinus communis and Parthenium hysterophorus, and soils from different functional sites in Sialkot. Maximum fresh and dry weights of R. communis were recorded from control and field sites. Highest concentrations of Cd in P. hysterophorus (33.5 mg kg⁻¹) and R. communis (24.36 ± 2.83 mg kg⁻¹) were recorded at residential and industrial sites, respectively. However, road site samples showed maximum concentrations of Pb both in R. communis (9.06 ± 0.35 mg kg⁻¹) and P. hysterophorus (7.90 ± 0.36 mg kg⁻¹). Soil from the road site were found to be highly acidic (pH 4.75 ± 0.04), while the field site showed highest EC (494 ± 3.60) and TDS (509 ± 3.00) values. Generally, there were reductions in chlorophyll a and carotenoids, but an increase in chlorophyll b was observed in both plants at all sites compared to the control.

     

Mineral composition and bioaccessibility in Sarcocornia ambigua using ICP-MS

This study evaluates the nutritional potential of Sarcocornia ambigua as new a source of minerals. The mineral concentrations of two different growing populations (natural occurrence and irrigated) of S. ambigua were evaluated using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. In all samples, the mineral present in highest amounts was potassium (K) (19–24 μg g⁻¹), followed by magnesium (Mg) (8.6–14 μg g⁻¹) and then calcium (Ca) (2.6–4.0 μg g⁻¹). In addition, in vitro bioacessibility assay demonstrated that very high fraction (65–80%) of these K and Mg (80 and 65%) of total concentration of these elements is bioacessible from S. ambigua analyzed. The trace elements vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu) and lithium (Li) have more than above 50% of total concentration was found bioaccessible. In all cases, mass balance was verified by carrying out the total digestion of the remaining residue and the relationship between total concentration and bioaccessibility. The data related to the concentrations and the bioaccessible fractions of the minerals provide a starting point for more complex and in-depth evaluations from the nutritional point of view, including the establishment of a recommended daily dietary intake for this plant.     

Phaeophyceae and rhodophyceae macroalgae from the Antarctic: A source of selenium

This study reports the development of a voltammetric method applied for Se determination in Phaeophyceae (A. utricularis, C. jacquinotii, A. mirabilis, D. anceps, H. grandifolius) and Rhodophyceae (G. confluens, C. racovitzae, I. cordata) macroalgae from the Antarctic. Evaluation of the instrumental parameters showed the square wave cathodic stripping voltammetry provided greater sensitivity (deposition potential, -0.4 V; deposition time, 420 s; amplitude, 0.08 V; frequency, 60 Hz) than influence of differential pulse cathodic stripping voltammetry. The matrix effect and the influence of Cu concentration on the determinations were also assessed. After microwave-assisted digestion of the samples, the quantification limit was from 5.21 × 10⁻³ (G.confluens) to 9.85 × 10⁻³ mg kg^-1 (I. cordata). The quantification of Se was carried out over the concentration range from 0.23 (C. jacquinotii) to 1.22 mg kg^-1 (A. mirabilis). The method accuracy was by analysing the reference material of peach leaves (SRM 1547).     

Geographical discrimination of Italian honey by multi-element analysis with a chemometric approach

In this study the concentrations of K, Ca, Mg, Na, Al, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Se, Pb, Cd, and As in 39 honey samples of different botanical (orange-blossom, lemon-blossom, chestnut, eucalyptus, acacia, sulla and wildflower honeys) and geographical (Sicily and Calabria, Italy) origin were determined by ICP-OES and ICP-MS. The most abundant minerals decreased in the following order: K (mean value: 1.57 mg g⁻¹) > Ca (0.2 mg g⁻¹) > Mg (0.121 mg g⁻¹) > Na (0.092 mg g⁻¹). Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) values and benchmark levels were employed to assess the honey quality and safety. The data excluded toxicological risks: for an adult of 60 kg, a daily intake of 2 g of honey covered maximum 0.40% of Tolerable Weekly Intake (TWI) for Al, 0.33% of Benchmark Dose of 1% Extra Risk (BMDL01) for Pb, and 0.07% of Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) for Ni. Mineral content marks the differences in honey samples from different geographical origin despite the botanical factor weight and can be used as a tool to assess the traceability of honeys. The discrimination between Sicilian and Calabrian honeys was achieved by Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and also the results of Canonical Discriminant Analysis (CDA) indicate that the 100% of total samples are correctly classified. This research contributes to the studies to determine the geographical origin of honeys.     

Determination of Se content of 78 sesame accessions with different geographical origin

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for human health and plays an important role in fundamental physiological functions. Se accumulates in sesame seeds and this situation may differ between genotypes. Determination of Se content in food is very important because there is a narrow margin of safety between an adequate amount and overconsumption. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the variability in Se content among different sesame accessions from Turkey (12 sesame accessions) and 22 other countries from four continents (Asia, Africa, Europe and America). The determination of total Se in seed was performed with an atomic absorption spectrometer. The Se content of sesame seeds samples exhibited a wide range i.e. 0–9.32 mg kg⁻¹, with an average value of about 2.29 mg kg⁻¹. The accession India 1 had the highest Se concentration. The mean Se contents of sesame from 23 countries varied between 0.24–8.31 mg kg⁻¹ and with an average value of about 2.29 mg kg⁻¹. Sesame breeders can use the results of the present study to further the breeding programs for the development of new biofortified varieties.     

Horizontal and Vertical Distribution of Lead,Cadmium, and Zinc in Farmlands Around a Lead-Contaminated Goldmine in Zamfara,Northern Nigeria

This study was undertaken to evaluate the vertical and horizontal distribution of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and zinc (Zn) in farmlands around a Pb-contaminated goldmine. Total concentrations of Pb and Cd recorded were at maximum values of 2,246.55 and 68.7 mg kg^?1, respectively; these are greater than the threshold values for Pb (300 mg kg^?1) and Cd (3 mg kg^?1). However, the concentration of Zn was within acceptable limits (300 mg kg^?1). Down the soil profile, concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Zn showed two peaks; these were attributed to facilitated transport and ground-water enrichment. Incubation of the soil samples with glucose indicated low microbial process(es), which could be due to the increased levels of Pb and Cd. Factor analysis showed a close association of Pb and Cd with the soil-exchange complex with a possibility of these heavy metals replacing Ca and other divalent cations in the soil-exchange site. This will, however, increase the risk of Pb and Cd leaching and uptake by plants. Although the metals were more associated with resistant soil fraction (sand), which also indicates their geogenic origin, chemical weathering under the influence of pH could release these metals into the soil-exchange site.     

Cadmium levels in food containing crab brown meat: A brief survey from UK retailers

As the brown meat of crabs accumulates cadmium (Cd) to elevated concentrations, the European Commission has recommended consumer advice on the consumption of such seafood products. To supplement available data, 397 samples (including whole crabs and products containing brown crab meat) were collected from UK retailers. Cd concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 26 mg kg −1 wet weight (ww) and mean and median concentrations of 3.4 and 2.8 mg kg⁻¹ were found, respectively. Although there is no regulatory limit for Cd in brown crab meat, mean concentrations were above the permitted maximum of 0.5 mg kg⁻¹ that applies to the white meat component derived from claws and legs. These data will support the UK Food Standards Agency’s risk assessment and management measures regarding the consumption of brown crab meat by UK consumers.