Dietary exposure to total and inorganic arsenic via rice and rice-based products consumption.

Diet is the major route of exposure to arsenic (As), with rice and rice products as food groups with relatively high As levels. This study was aimed at determining the concentrations of total arsenic (total As) and inorganic arsenic (InAs) in rice and rice products. The dietary exposure and health risks for infant and adult population were also estimated. Brown varieties of rice showed higher As levels than white rice (189 vs 132 µg/kg). Toddlers and infants presented the highest dietary exposure to total As (4.08 and 3.99 µg/day, respectively), but unlike the rest of population groups, the main contributor was organic arsenic. Focusing on the contribution of each food item, rice represents the major contributor to InAs exposure by the adult population, while baby cereals and breakfast cereals are the most important contributors for infant exposure. Anyhow, none of the population groups exceeded the lower limit of the BMDL01 range (from 0.3 to 8.0 µg/kg body weight/day) set by EFSA in any of the three exposure scenarios (high, mean, and low) hereby considered. Finally, consumption of white rice varieties or pre-cooked rice, as well as washing rice before cooking, are recommended in order to minimize the exposure to arsenic.

Dietary intake of arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead by the population of Catalonia, Spain: Analysis of the temporal trend.

In 2017, a monitoring study was conducted in Catalonia (Spain) to analyse, in widely consumed foodstuffs, the concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb), as well as those of inorganic As (InAs) and methylmercury (MeHg). Health risks were estimated for various population groups, classified according to age. A continued reduction of dietary exposure to these elements was observed when comparing the results from the current and previous studies performed during the last 17 years. This reduction would be associated to a decrease of As, Cd, Hg and Pb concentrations in food, as well as by changes in dietary habits. None of the adult groups exceeded the safety threshold established by the EFSA, but toddlers, infants and children exceeded the PTWI for Cd and MeHg. The greatest intake of Cd and MeHg corresponded to infants, being due to the consumption of cuttlefish and hake. The consumption of these species should be reduced to two or three weekly portions, being combined with the intake of other non-predator species. Anyhow, the current results indicate that is necessary to conduct further periodical surveys, paying special attention to the trend in the intake of Cd and MeHg.

Human exposure to PCDD/Fs and PCBs through consumption of fish and seafood in Catalonia (Spain): Temporal trend.

The concentrations of PCDD/Fs and 18 PCBs (DL- and NDL-) were analyzed in 16 fish and seafood species widely consumed in Catalonia (Spain). The exposure of these pollutants was subsequently estimated according to various groups of population. The concentrations of PCDD/Fs and PCBs showed an important decrease in relation to the baseline study (2000) and our last survey (2008). Sardine and red mullet were the species showing the highest pollutant concentrations, while canned tuna and cuttlefish presented the lowest levels. Sardine was the main contributor to the exposure of PCDD/Fs and PCBs. In contrast, swordfish was the species with the lowest contribution to the exposure of PCDD/Fs, DL-PCBs, and PCDD/Fs+DL-PCBs, while clam was the minor contributor for NDL-PCBs and total PCBs. For all groups of population, the current intakes of PCDD/Fs and PCBs were lower than the TDI (1-4 pg WHO-TEQ/kg body weight/day), being children the group with the highest exposure. However, this exposure should not mean a health risk for this group of population. The current intake of PCDD/Fs and PCBs through fish and seafood consumption was similar or even lower than most values reported in recent studies all over the world.

Dietary intake of trace elements by the population of Catalonia (Spain): results from a total diet study.

This study aimed to analyse the concentrations of Al, Ba, Bi, Cu, Cr, Ge, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sb, Se, Sr and Zn in food samples collected in 2008 in Catalonia (Spain). The dietary intake of these 13 trace elements was subsequently estimated by different age-gender groups of the population: children, adolescents, adults and seniors. In general terms, fish and shellfish, cereals, and pulses were the food groups showing the highest levels for most elements. Higher dietary intakes were associated with male groups (adolescents, adults and seniors). However, none exceeded the tolerable levels. When exposure was estimated based on body weight, children were the group with the highest dietary intake. Notwithstanding, only the weekly intake of Al by children exceeded the recommendations of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). It is a consequence of the higher intake of cereals in relation to their respective body weights. In addition to the periodical food surveillance of toxic metals (As, Cd, Hg and Pb), it is also important to determine the levels of other trace elements in order to ensure that the dietary exposure by the Catalan population is under control.

Human health risks derived from dietary exposure to toxic metals in Catalonia, Spain: temporal trend.

The present study was aimed at estimating the current (2012) dietary intake of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) by the population of Catalonia, Spain. The temporal trends with respect to previous surveys, performed in 2000, 2005, and 2008, were also determined. For that purpose, metal concentrations were analyzed in a number of widely consumed foodstuffs. A speciation study was also conducted by experimentally determining the levels of inorganic As (InAs) and methylmercury (MeHg) in the same food items. Furthermore, the dietary intake of those metals and species was calculated both deterministically and probabilistically by considering two food consumption surveys: ENCAT and ENIDE, representative of the Catalan and Spanish populations, respectively. An important temporal decrease of the dietary intake was noted for most elements, irrespective of the age-gender population group. Considering data for a male adult, the current dietary intake of As, InAs, Cd, Hg, MeHg, and Pb was estimated in 216, 2.6, 8.7, 10, 7.3, and 8.4 µg/day, respectively, being these values lower than the respective provisional tolerable weekly intakes (PTWIs) or benchmark dose lower confidence limits (BMDLs). Moreover, new calculations by means of ENIDE survey indicated similar results to those previously obtained by ENCAT, with the exception of MeHg, whose intake exceeded the maximum recommended values for some part of the population. Although our data are similar to those frequently found in other European countries, the important intake of MeHg, which is linked to the high consumption of fish and shellfish, deserves further investigation.

Assessment of the temporal trend of the dietary exposure to PCDD/Fs and PCBs in Catalonia, over Spain: health risks.

The concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), as well as those of 18 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), including 12-dioxin like (DL)-PCBs, were measured in foodstuffs randomly acquired in Catalonia (Spain) in November-December 2008. A total of 65 composite samples, belonging to various food groups were analyzed by HRGC/HRMS. The dietary intakes of PCDD/Fs and PCBs were subsequently estimated for four age groups of the population of Catalonia: children, teenagers, adults, and seniors, which were in turn divided according to sex. The highest dietary exposure to PCDD/Fs corresponded to fish and seafood (28.0%), dairy products (15.4%), and oils and fats (10.6%), while that of PCBs corresponded to fish and seafood (58.6%), and dairy products (8.9%). In contrast, the lowest contributions of PCDD/Fs and PCBs corresponded to vegetables, fruits and pulses. Concerning the sum of PCDD/Fs plus DL-PCBs, the current total intake expressed in pg WHO-TEQ/kg per day (0.60) showed a notable decreasing trend with respect to those found in previous surveys performed also in Catalonia in 2000 (3.51) and 2006 (1.12pg/kg per day). The current dietary intake of PCDDs plus DL-PCBs is similar or lower than that recently reported in studies performed in a number of regions and countries.

Human exposure to arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead from foods in Catalonia, Spain: temporal trend.

The main purpose of this study was to establish the temporal trend in the daily dietary intake of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) by the population of Catalonia, Spain. Concentrations of these elements were determined in samples of a number of food items widely consumed in that country. The dietary intake of As, Cd, Hg, and Pb was then estimated for various age-gender groups of population: children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. In the present study, the dietary intakes of As, inorganic As, Cd, Hg, methylmercury, and Pb were 328.37, 16.22, 19.47, 11.39, 10.25, and 101.47 µg/day, respectively, while in a previous (2006) survey, the dietary intakes of As, inorganic As, Cd, Hg, methylmercury, and Pb were 261.01, 33.17, 9.80, 12.61, 11.35, and 45.13 µg/day, respectively. The estimated intakes of Cd, Hg, and Pb are still notably lower than the respective PTWIs, while that of inorganic As is also lower than its BMDL(01). In summary, the results of this study indicate that, currently, the dietary intakes of As, Cd, Hg, and Pb should not mean additional health risks for the consumers.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in foods and estimated PAH intake by the population of Catalonia, Spain: Temporal trend.

The concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were determined in various foodstuffs randomly purchased in Catalonia (Spain) during November and December of 2008. Dietary intake of PAH was subsequently estimated according to age and sex for the general population of Catalonia. The current results were compared with those of previous studies performed in 2000 and 2006. The highest PAH levels corresponded to phenanthrene (18.18 microg/kg), naphthalene (13.31 microg/kg), and pyrene (8.46 microg/kg), whereas the lowest concentrations were those of dibenzo[a,h]anthracene (0.89 microg/kg), indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene (0.94 microg/kg), and benzo[k]fluoranthene (1.00 microg/kg). With respect to the contribution of total carcinogenic PAH, benzo[a]pyrene contributed 47.77% or 48.22%, depending on the TEF value used. By food groups, the current highest levels of total PAH were detected in meat and meat products (38.99 microg/kg), followed by oils and fats (18.75 microg/kg), and dairy products (7.57 microg/kg). The highest contribution to PAH dietary intake corresponded to the group of meat and meat products (4.75 microg/day). The estimated mean dietary intake for a standard male adult (70-kg body weight) was 6.72 microg/day, a lower value than those found in our 2000 (8.42 microg/day), and 2006 surveys (12.04 microg/day). With regard to the results of other recent studies, the current PAH concentrations were comparatively lower.

Concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers, hexachlorobenzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in various foodstuffs before and after cooking.

The cooking-induced changes in the levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in various foodstuffs were investigated. Foods included fish (sardine, hake and tuna), meat (veal steak, loin of pork, breast and thigh of chicken, and steak and rib of lamb), string bean, potato, rice, and olive oil. For each food item, raw and cooked (fried, grilled, roasted, boiled) samples were analyzed. There were some variations in the concentrations of PBDEs before and after cooking. However, they depended not only on the cooking process, but mainly on the specific food item. The highest HCB concentrations were found in sardine, being lower in cooked samples. All cooking processes enhanced HCB levels in hake, while very scarce differences could be noted in tuna (raw and cooked). In general terms, the highest PAH concentrations were found after frying by being the values especially notable in fish, excepting hake, where the highest total PAH levels corresponded to roasted samples. The results of this study show that, in general, cooking processes are only of a limited value as a means of reducing PBDE, HCB and PAH concentrations in food.

Human dietary exposure to hexachlorobenzene in Catalonia, Spain.

The concentrations of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were measured in samples of foodstuffs widely consumed by the population of Catalonia, Spain. Food samples were randomly acquired in 12 cities of Catalonia between March and June of 2006. HCB levels were determined by high-resolution gas chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry. The dietary intake of HCB was subsequently estimated for the population of Catalonia, and the results were compared with those of a survey performed in 2000. The highest HCB concentrations were found in oils and fats, fish and seafood, and dairy products, with mean levels of 0.481, 0.330, and 0.284 ng/g of fresh weight, respectively. HCB intake was estimated for four population groups: children, adolescents, adults, and seniors (aged >65 years). The highest and lowest HCB intake corresponded to children and seniors, respectively. Similar results were found in our 2000 survey. For a standard male adult of 70-kg body weight, in the 2000 study, total dietary intake of HCB was 166.2 ng/day (2.4 ng/kg of body weight per day), whereas in the current survey the intake was 71.6 ng/day (1.0 ng/kg of body weight per day). On a body-weight basis, it means a decrease of 57%, which was mainly due to the important reductions in the contribution of dairy products (mainly cheese), as well as those of meat and meat products and fish and seafood. All the intakes are considerably lower than the World Health Organization tolerable daily intake, which is 0.17 microg/kg/day for noncancer effects and 0.16 microg/kg/day for neoplastic effects in humans.

Evolution of the dietary exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Catalonia, Spain.

The concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in samples of foodstuffs widely consumed by the population of Catalonia, Spain. All samples were randomly acquired in 12 cities of Catalonia between March and June of 2006, and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The dietary intake of total and carcinogenic PAHs was estimated for various age/gender groups of population. In order to determine the temporal trend on the dietary exposure to PAHs, the current results were compared with those of a previous survey (2000). The highest individual PAH levels corresponded to phenanthrene (29.66 microg/kg), naphthalene (25.87 microg/kg) and fluoroanthene (13.66 microg/kg), while the lowest levels were benzo[a]pyrene (1.28 microg/kg), benzo[k]fluoranthene (1.31 microg/kg) and indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene (1.44 microg/kg). According to food groups, the highest levels of total PAHs were detected in meat and meat products (25.56 microg/kg), oils and fats (23.48 microg/kg), and cereals (20.44 microg/kg). For an average male adult (70-kg body weight), the current dietary intake of the sum of PAHs was higher (12.0 microg/day) than that found in our 2000 survey (8.4 microg/day).

Human exposure to polychlorinated naphthalenes and polychlorinated diphenyl ethers from foods in Catalonia, Spain: temporal trend.

Although polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) and polychlorinated diphenyl ethers (PCDEs) are pollutants that have been detected in a number of environmental samples, information concerning human exposure to these compounds through the diet is very scarce. In this study, the concentrations of PCNs and PCDEs were determined in samples of foodstuffs widely consumed by the population of Catalonia, Spain. The dietary intake of PCNs and PCDEs also was estimated for the population of this Spanish region, and the results were compared to those of a previous survey performed during 2000. The highest sigmaPCNs corresponded to fish and seafood (47.1 ng/kg wet wt), followed by oils and fats (21.5 ng/kg wet wt), bakery products (15.3 ng/kg wet wt), and dairy products (11.7 ng/ kg wet wt). The highest sigmaPCDEs corresponded also to fish and seafood (1094.7 ng/kg wet wt), a value that was notably higher than those concerning the remaining food groups. For a standard male adult of 70 kg body weight, the dietary intakes of PCNs and PCDEs were 7.25 and 51.68 ng/day, respectively (or 0.10 and 0.74 ng/kg body wt/day). These results mean a reduction of 84% for PCNs with respect to the daily intake of these pollutants in the 2000 survey, mainly due to the decreases in the contribution of cereals and oils and fats. By contrast, the intake of PCDEs increased to 26%, fish and seafood being the main contributors to this increase.

Dietary intake of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead by the population of Catalonia, Spain.

The concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) were determined in samples of food items widely consumed by the population of Catalonia, Spain. All samples were randomly acquired in 12 cities of Catalonia between March and June of 2006 and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The dietary intake of these elements was estimated for various age-gender groups of population: children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. In order to determine the temporal trend on the dietary exposure to As, Cd, Hg, and Pb, the current results were compared with those of a previous survey (2000). In the present market basket study, for a standard male adult of 70-kg body weight living in Catalonia, the dietary intakes of As, Cd, Hg, and Pb were 261.01, 9.80, 12.61, and 45.13 microg/day, respectively, while in the 2000 survey, these intakes were 223.59, 15.73, 21.22, and 28.37 microg/day, for As, Cd, Hg, and Pb, respectively. For As, the only food groups currently contributing with measurable amounts to intake of total As were fish and shellfish and cereals, while for Cd the highest contribution to total intake corresponded to pulses, tubers, and cereals. For Hg, the contribution was only due to fish and shellfish, while cereals were the group with the highest contribution to total Pb intake. The estimated intakes of As, Cd, Hg, and Pb are notably lower than the respective provisional tolerable weekly intakes, which indicate that these intakes should not mean additional health risks for the consumers.

Human exposure to PBDEs through the diet in Catalonia, Spain: temporal trend. A review of recent literature on dietary PBDE intake.

The mean concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) (sum tetra- to octaBDEs) were determined in samples of foodstuffs widely consumed by the population of Catalonia, Northeast Spain. The following six tetra-through heptabrominated congeners were also individually analyzed: PBDEs 47, 99, 100, 153, 154 and 183. Food samples were randomly acquired in 12 cities of Catalonia between March and June of 2006. The dietary intake of PBDEs was estimated for the population of this region. In order to determine the temporal trend on the exposure to PBDEs through the diet, the results were compared with those of a previous survey performed during 2000. The highest concentration of total PBDEs was found in fish and shellfish (563.9 ng/kg of wet weight), followed by oils and fats (359.3 ng/kg ww), and bakery products (98.8 ng/kg ww). Among six individually analyzed congeners, for most food groups BDE-47 and BDE-99 showed the highest levels. The dietary intake of PBDEs for a standard male adult of 70 kg body weight was 75.4 ng/day (or 1.1 ng/kg body weight/day, assuming ND=LOD/2). On a body weight basis, it means a decrease of 23% with respect to the daily intake of the 2000 survey (97.3 ng/day or 1.4 ng/kg/body weight/day). Finally, the current PBDE intake is compared with the results of recent studies on the dietary intake of PBDEs performed in various European, North American, and Asian countries.

Significant decreasing trend in human dietary exposure to PCDD/PCDFs and PCBs in Catalonia, Spain.

The concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDFs), and 18 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were determined in samples of foodstuffs widely consumed by the population of Catalonia, Spain. The dietary intake of PCDD/PCDFs and dioxin-like (DL)-PCBs was subsequently estimated for the population of this Spanish region. These results were compared with those of a previous survey performed during 2000. For PCDD/PCDFs, the highest WHO-TEQ values corresponded to oils and fats (0.223 ng/kg), followed by fish and seafood (0.131 ng/kg) and dairy products (0.057 ng/kg), while the lowest levels were found in fruits (0.003 ng/kg), as well as in vegetables and milk (0.009 ng/kg). For DL-PCBs the highest WHO-TEQ values corresponded to the groups of fish and seafood (0.761 ng/kg) followed by oils and fats (0.169 ng/kg), and dairy products (0.039 ng/kg), while the lowest values were observed in fruits (0.004 ng/kg), and vegetables (0.005 ng/kg) and tubers (0.006 ng/kg). The current dietary intakes of PCDD/PCDFs, DL-PCBs, and PCDD/PCDFs plus DL-PCBs were estimated to be 25.7, 52.4, and 78.1 pg WHO-TEQ/day vs. 95.4, 150.1, and 245.5 pg WHO-TEQ/day found in our previous survey. It means reductions of 73%, 65%, and 68%, for PCDD/PCDFs, DL-PCBs, and PCDD/PCDFs plus DL-PCBs, respectively. The current estimated intake for an adult male, 1.12 pg WHO-TEQ/kg body weight per day, is lower than most intakes recently reported in a number of countries over the world.

Manifestaciones radiológicas del nefroma mesoblástico / Radiological manifestations of mesoblastic nephroma

Objetivo: Analizar los hallazgos radiológicos y clínicos del nefroma mesoblástico (NM) en la edad pediátrica.Material y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de nueve pacientes con diagnóstico histológico de NM. Se analizó mediante ecografía y tomografía computarizada abdominal la localización, el tamaño y la estructura interna del tumor, la existencia de hematoma subcapsular, signo del anillo, márgenes del tumor, infiltración de tejidos adyacentes y presencia de metástasis. Los datos clínicos que se consideraron al inicio fueron la edad del paciente, palpación de masa abdominal, hipertensión, hipercalcemia, hematuria y anemia, así como el tratamiento y evolución.Resultados: El 76 por ciento de los NM estaban localizados en la porción central del riñón. El volumen tumoral medio fue de 70 cm3. El 77 por ciento presentó estructura sólida, el 55 por ciento anillo ecogénico en la periferia, y el 76 por ciento hematoma subcapsular. Un paciente presentó extensión a los tejidos adyacentes. Los márgenes del tumor estaban mal definidos en el 100 por ciento. La edad media fue de 15 días. La palpación de masa abdominal del 100 por ciento e hipertensión arterial el 33 por ciento. Los márgenes quirúrgicos no estaban libres de tumor en un paciente y dos murieron por causas ajenas al tumor.Conclusiones: Los NM son tumores renales de la infancia, y pueden cursar con hipertensión. En general son de naturaleza sólida. Los márgenes están mal definidos. Es frecuente la presencia de hematoma subcapsular y la imagen de anillo concéntrico en periferia. Es excepcional la extensión por contigüidad. La resección quirúrgica fue el único tratamiento con un pronóstico excelente (AU)