Exposure to Inorganic Arsenic in Rice in Brazil: A Human Health Risk Assessment. 2022

Michele C Toledo, and Janice S Lee, and Bruno L Batista, and Kelly P K Olympio, and Adelaide C Nardocci
School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-904, Brazil.

In certain populations, rice is the main source of exposure to inorganic arsenic (iAs), which is associated with cancer and non-cancer effects. Although rice is a staple food in Brazil, there have been few studies about the health risks for the Brazilian population. The objective of this study was to assess the risks of exposure to iAs from white rice and brown rice in Brazil, in terms of the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects, and to propose measures to mitigate those risks. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) and hazard quotient (HQ) were calculated in a probabilistic framework. The mean ILCR was 1.5 × 10-4 for white rice and 6.0 × 10-6 for brown rice. The HQ for white and brown rice was under 1. The ILCR for white and brown rice was high, even though the iAs concentration in rice is below the maximum contaminant level. The risk for brown rice consumption was lower, which was not expected. Various mitigation measures discussed in this report are estimated to reduce the risk from rice consumption by 5-67%. With the support of public policies, measures to reduce these risks for the Brazilian population would have a positive impact on public health.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D001938 Brazil A country located on the eastern coast of South America, located between Colombia and Peru, that borders the Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered on the north by Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana, on the south by Uruguay, and on the west by Argentina. The capital is Brasilia.
D005506 Food Contamination The presence in food of harmful, unpalatable, or otherwise objectionable foreign substances, e.g. chemicals, microorganisms or diluents, before, during, or after processing or storage. Food Adulteration,Adulteration, Food,Adulterations, Food,Contamination, Food,Contaminations, Food,Food Adulterations,Food Contaminations
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001151 Arsenic A shiny gray element with atomic symbol As, atomic number 33, and atomic weight 75. It occurs throughout the universe, mostly in the form of metallic arsenides. Most forms are toxic. According to the Fourth Annual Report on Carcinogens (NTP 85-002, 1985), arsenic and certain arsenic compounds have been listed as known carcinogens. (From Merck Index, 11th ed) Arsenic-75,Arsenic 75
D001152 Arsenicals Inorganic or organic compounds that contain arsenic. Arsenic Compounds,Compounds, Arsenic
D012275 Oryza A genus of grass family (Poaceae) that include several rice species. Oryza sativa,Rice,Rices
D018570 Risk Assessment The qualitative or quantitative estimation of the likelihood of adverse effects that may result from exposure to specified health hazards or from the absence of beneficial influences. (Last, Dictionary of Epidemiology, 1988) Assessment, Risk,Benefit-Risk Assessment,Risk Analysis,Risk-Benefit Assessment,Health Risk Assessment,Risks and Benefits,Analysis, Risk,Assessment, Benefit-Risk,Assessment, Health Risk,Assessment, Risk-Benefit,Benefit Risk Assessment,Benefit-Risk Assessments,Benefits and Risks,Health Risk Assessments,Risk Analyses,Risk Assessment, Health,Risk Assessments,Risk Benefit Assessment,Risk-Benefit Assessments

Related Publications

Michele C Toledo, and Janice S Lee, and Bruno L Batista, and Kelly P K Olympio, and Adelaide C Nardocci
July 2008, Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987),
Michele C Toledo, and Janice S Lee, and Bruno L Batista, and Kelly P K Olympio, and Adelaide C Nardocci
January 1997, Medycyna pracy,
Michele C Toledo, and Janice S Lee, and Bruno L Batista, and Kelly P K Olympio, and Adelaide C Nardocci
June 2009, Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987),
Michele C Toledo, and Janice S Lee, and Bruno L Batista, and Kelly P K Olympio, and Adelaide C Nardocci
March 2016, Environmental science and pollution research international,
Michele C Toledo, and Janice S Lee, and Bruno L Batista, and Kelly P K Olympio, and Adelaide C Nardocci
May 2017, The Science of the total environment,
Michele C Toledo, and Janice S Lee, and Bruno L Batista, and Kelly P K Olympio, and Adelaide C Nardocci
November 2005, Journal of agricultural and food chemistry,
Michele C Toledo, and Janice S Lee, and Bruno L Batista, and Kelly P K Olympio, and Adelaide C Nardocci
February 2000, Central European journal of public health,
Michele C Toledo, and Janice S Lee, and Bruno L Batista, and Kelly P K Olympio, and Adelaide C Nardocci
December 2018, Environmental science and pollution research international,
Michele C Toledo, and Janice S Lee, and Bruno L Batista, and Kelly P K Olympio, and Adelaide C Nardocci
September 2022, The British journal of nutrition,
Michele C Toledo, and Janice S Lee, and Bruno L Batista, and Kelly P K Olympio, and Adelaide C Nardocci
December 2015, Journal of agricultural and food chemistry,
Copied contents to your clipboard!