Levels of Organic Pollutants in Vegetables and Human Exposure Through Diet: A Review

Abstract

The authors summarize the scientific literature on toxic organic microcontaminants in vegetables published during the last 15 years. A wide range of persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic organic pollutants have been studied, namely polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), phthalic acid esters (PAEs), and perfluorinated substances. The available literature data covers the occurrence of organic contaminants in vegetables and the subsequent human exposure, through ingestion. Benzo[a]pyrene equivalents (BaP eq ) were calculated following the concentrations of individual PAH in the literature and then compared. This review also summarizes Toxic Equivalent Concentrations (TEQ) and daily intake of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, and PBDEs through vegetable consumption. Temporal and spatial variations in contaminants concentrations are discussed. The existing scientific literature is critically evaluated regarding gaps, implications, and needs for future research.

Distribution and Health Risk Assessment on Dietary Exposure of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Vegetables in Nanjing, China

“…In recent years, environmental PAH concentrations have increased in many industrialized and developing countries, leading to high levels of PAHs in foodstuffs [6]. The occurrences of PAHs in vegetables in the literatures published during the last 15 years were summarized and the subsequent dietary exposures to Benzo[a]pyrene equivalents (BaP eq ) were calculated and then compared [7]. However, reports concerning cancer risk assessment of PAHs using the margin of exposure (MOE) approach [8] are quite limited.…”

Adverse health effects of emerging contaminants on inflammatory bowel disease

“…PCBs are mainly formed as by-products in manufacturing industries (182). They can reserve in soil and transfer to water surroundings, increasing the risk of human exposure via food chains (183,184). Since PCBs are lipid-soluble, people who frequently eat animal fats can easily access PCBs (185).…”

A Novel Micro Pressurized Liquid Extraction Method for Rapid Sample Preparation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Various Solids

“…For instance, fossil fuel combustion is a major source of environmental PAH contamination, while smaller scale activities like grilling/smoking food can also contribute to human exposure [12]. Accordingly, the bioaccumulation of PAHs in food from environmental contamination is also a major concern [13]. In particular, since they are highly hydrophobic and adhere strongly to carbonaceous materials [14], this has prompted close monitoring and regulation of PAH distribution [11,15].…”