This study was designed to investigate the toxic metal (aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn)) concentrations in drinking water and different foodstuffs meat (pork, beef, and mutton), cereals (rice, flour, corn, millet), beans (cowpeas, tofu), potatoes (potato, sweet potato), solanaceous fruits (pepper, eggplant, bitter gourd, cucumber), vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, spinach), and fruits (apples, watermelons, pears, grapes)) and then estimate the potential health risks of toxic metal consumption to local residents in industrial regions of northern Ningxia, China. As in drinking water, Cr in meat, Pb in cereals, Pb in beans, As and Pb in potatoes, Pb in solanaceous fruits, Cr and Ni in vegetables, and Ni and Pb in fruits were the most contaminated heavy metals in the corresponding food with over-standard rates of 16.7%, 12.5%, 5.1%, 60%, 50%, 50%, 38.2%, 44.4%, 44.4%, 31.8%, and 31.8%, respectively.The results of the deterministic assessment of health risks showed that the total noncarcinogenic risk value of dietary intake of toxic metals by the local population was 5.6106, indicating that toxic metals pose a high noncarcinogenic risk. The order of the non-carcinogenic risk is HIcereal (1.2104) > HIsolanaceous fruit (0.9134) > HIVegetables (0.8726) > HIFruit (0.8170) > HIMeat (0.7269) > HIDrinking water (0.6139) > HIBeans (0.2991) > HIPotatoes (0.1573). The total carcinogenic health risk from exposure to toxic metals through dietary intake was 9.98 × 10−4, indicating that the total cancer risk value of residents is beyond the acceptable range (10−4) under the current daily dietary exposure and implies a high risk of cancer. The order of the carcinogenic risk is RDrinking water (2.34 × 10−4) > RMeat (2.11 × 10−4) > Rsolanaceous fruit (1.89 × 10−4) > RFruit (1.88 × 10−4) > Rcereal (1.36 × 10−4) > RPotatoes (2.44 × 10−5) > RVegetables (1.51 × 10−5) > RBeans (0). The probabilistic assessment results showed that 98.83% of the population is exposed to severe noncarcinogenic risk and 87.02% is exposed to unacceptable carcinogenic risk. The sensitivity analysis showed that drinking water, local cereals, vegetables, and fruits were the major contributors to health risks. Our results indicated that the daily dietary exposure of residents in industrial regions of northern Ningxia poses a serious threat to human health, and it is suggested that relevant departments should strengthen monitoring and control of the current situation of toxic metal pollution in the environment and continue to pay attention and take measures to reduce the exposure of toxic metals in the diets of residents in this area. Graphical Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the toxic metals (aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn)) concentrations in drinking water and different foodstuffs (cereals, meat, beans, potatoes, solanaceous fruits, vegetables, and fruits) and then estimate the potential health risks of toxic metals via consumption to the local residents in industrial regions of northern Ningxia, China. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry was performed to detect toxic metal concentrations. According to the results, the concentrations of As, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn in fruit samples exceeded the standard limits. Pb was the most common toxic metal detected in drinking water, cereals, beans, potatoes, solanaceous fruits, vegetables, and fruits.The results of deterministic assessment of health risks showed that the total noncarcinogenic health risk value of dietary intake of toxic metals by the local population was 5.6106, indicating that toxic metals pose a high noncarcinogenic risk to residents under the current daily diet exposure. The order of noncarcinogenic health risk values of various foods analyzed was as follows: HIcereals (1.2104) > HIsolanaceous fruits (0.9134) > HIvegetables (0.8726) > HIfruits (0.8170) > HImeat (0.7269) > HIdrinking water (0.6139) > HIbeans (0.2991) > HIpotatoes (0.1573). The total carcinogenic health risk from exposure to toxic metals through dietary intake was 9.98×10− 4, indicating that the total cancer risk value of residents is beyond the acceptable range under the current daily dietary exposure, and implies a high risk of cancer. The order of carcinogenic health risk (R) was Rdrinking water (2.34×10− 4) > Rmeat (2.11×10− 4) > Rsolanaceous fruits (1.89×10− 4) > Rfruits (1.88×10− 4) > Rcereals (1.36×10− 4) > Rpotatoes (2.44×10− 5) > Rvegetables (1.51×10− 5) > Rbeans (0.00). Probabilistic assessment results showed that 98.83% of the population would suffer severe noncarcinogenic risk and 87.02% would suffer unacceptable carcinogenic risk. Sensitivity analysis showed that drinking water, local cereals, vegetables, and fruits were the major contributors to health risks. Our results indicated that daily dietary exposure of residents in industrial regions of northern Ningxia posed a serious threat to human health, and appropriate strategies should be adopted to prevent toxic metal contamination.

E-cigarettes are now very popular in the world. Compared to traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes are often considered safer and healthier. However, their safety remains controversial and requires further research and regulation. In this study, we aimed to understand the possible hazards to humans of four compounds (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, and acetone) and seven heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, manganese, lead, copper, nickel, and chromium) contained in e-cigarette liquids and aerosols and perform a health risk assessment. We searched PUBMED, CNKI, and other databases for relevant literature to obtain data on organic compounds and heavy metals in e-cigarette liquids and aerosols, and conducted acute, chronic, and carcinogenic risk assessments of various chemicals by different exposure routes. This study showed that exposure to four organic compounds and seven heavy metals in e-cigarette aerosols and e-liquids can cause varying levels of health risks in humans through different routes, with the inhalation route posing a higher overall risk than dermal exposure and oral intake. Various chemicals at high exposure doses can produce health risks beyond the acceptable range. E-cigarette designers must improve their products by changing the composition of the e-liquid and controlling the power of the device to reduce the health effects on humans.