Arsenic Contamination of the Environment−Food Chain: A Survey on Wheat as a Test Plant To Investigate Phytoavailable Arsenic in Italian Agricultural Soils and as a Source of Inorganic Arsenic in the Diet

Abstract

Seven hundred and twenty-six samples of wheat grains from the majority of Italian agricultural areas were pooled into 141 composite samples, homogeneous with respect to geographical origin and wheat variety. The average arsenic concentration of the pooled samples was 9 ng g(-1), with a range of 2-55 ng g(-1) (dry weight basis). The spread of arsenic concentrations (coefficient of variation of 91%) was related to spatial variability associated with geochemical and environmental factors. Temporal variability was investigated by a 3-year longitudinal study on 7 wheat cultivars grown in 22 areas of central and northern Italy. Average year-to-year variation in arsenic levels was low, and the average of the coefficients of variation was 23%. These results show that mapping of phytoavailable arsenic in agricultural soils can be done by measuring arsenic concentration in representative samples of wheat grains. Arsenic speciation in the grain showed that As(III) and As(V) were the major As compounds, highlighting the importance of wheat as a source of inorganic arsenic in the diet.

Effects of redox conditions on the control of arsenic mobility in shallow alluvial aquifers on the Venetian Plain (Italy)

“…The environmental concern with regard to As contamination in soils and waters increased after detecting high concentrations of the most hazardous species of As (inorganic As; EFSA, 2014 and references therein) in food materials (wheat grains, D'Amato et al, 2011) from the Venetian Plain (Cubadda et al, 2010).…”

Human exposure to dietary inorganic arsenic and other arsenic species: State of knowledge, gaps and uncertainties

“…Wheat is the main cereal staple at the basis of the diet in many world regions. Levels of iAs in wheat are one order of magnitude lower than in rice (Williams et al, 2007); as an example, in a nation-wide study in Italy a mean content of 9 ng/g (dry weight basis) was found in wheat grain (Cubadda et al, 2010). However, this staple may attain substantially higher concentrations of iAs when grown in arsenic-contaminated soils.…”

“…However, this staple may attain substantially higher concentrations of iAs when grown in arsenic-contaminated soils. For example, the average iAs content of wheat grain was 55 ng/g in the presence of higher phytoavailable iAs levels in soil (Cubadda et al, 2010), with individual grain samples up to about 400 ng/g (Cubadda et al, unpublished results). This sensitivity to growing conditions can be particularly important in arsenic-endemic areas, where it is increasingly recognized that exposure from food in addition to that from drinking water increases iAs exposure and plays a significant role in aggregate exposure (Kile et al, 2007; Signes-Pastor et al, 2008).…”

“…The same holds true for seaweeds, where the iAs proportion varies from about 1% in most commercial species to >50% in some brown algae, to ≥70% in hijiki (EFSA, 2009). Less variability is observed in wheat (taken as the most representative item of the ‘non rice-based cereals and cereal products’ group) as well as wheat products such as bread and pasta, where iAs generally represents ≥95% of the total arsenic (Cubadda et al, 2010, D’Amato et al, 2011). Other ingredients in more complex processed wheat-based products may contribute other arsenic species, and 90% appears to be a sound general estimate for the entire category.…”

Estudo de métodos para a determinação de As, Cd, Pb, Cr e Se em fertilizantes base orgânica por AAS e ICP OES

“…A ingestão aguda pode causar vômitos, diarreias e dores abdominais (HUGHES, et al, 2011), enquanto a de longo prazo está relacionada com as formações de lesões na pele, ao desenvolvimento de câncer de pele, bexiga e pulmão, modificações no metabolismo da glicose e doenças cardiovasculares (CUBADDA, et al, 2010). Nos dias atuais, a exposição de As se dá principalmente devido à contaminação for fontes antropogênicas, como pesticidas, herbicidas, aplicação de fertilizantes fosfatados, aplicações industriais e mineração (HUGHES, et al, 2011;SINGH, et al, 2015).…”