Assessing transfer of aluminum during tea brewing and associated population health risks.

Tea is consumed widely around the world owing to its refreshing taste and potential health benefits. However, drinking tea is considered a major route for dietary aluminum exposure in areas where tea consumption is relatively large. To assess the health risk associated with drinking tea, the contamination level of aluminum was determined in 81 tea samples. The transfer rate of aluminum during tea brewing was investigated. Then based on the site-specific exposure parameters such as consumption data and body weight for six different subpopulations in Fujian, the exposure risks were estimated using a probabilistic approach. Results demonstrate that the contents of aluminum in green tea, white tea, oolong tea, and black tea were significantly different according to the one-way ANOVA analysis (p < 0.05). The transfer rate of aluminum were 32.6%, 31.6%, 26.3%, and 14% for white tea, black tea, oolong tea, and green tea, respectively. With respect to the oral reference dose, the exposure of inhabitants in Fujian to aluminum through drinking tea is under control (even at the 99th percentile).

Health risk assessment of 42 pesticide residues in Tieguanyin tea from Fujian, China.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the residues of 42 pesticides subject to public concern in Tieguanyin tea produced in Fujian, China. The presence of 42 pesticide residues in 90 Tieguanyin tea samples were determined. A total of 17 pesticides were detected. At least one pesticide residue was detected in 65 samples (72.2%). The detected pesticides imidacloprid, tolfenpyrad, bifenthrin, acetamiprid were found in 55.6%, 33.3%, 18.9% and 16.7% of samples, respectively. Pesticide residues in Tieguanyin tea varied significantly over the seasons and across the production regions. Based on data obtained, the health risks associated with long-term exposure to those pesticides were assessed and risks of detected pesticides were ranked. The hazard quotients (HQs) among the detected pesticides range from 5 × 10-8 for fenpropathrin to 3 × 10-4 for imidacloprid. The results demonstrated that despite a high occurrence of pesticide residues in Tieguanyin tea, residue levels observed could not be considered as a serious public health problem. The risk ranking scheme showed dicofol and thiacloprid were considered to pose a medium-risk. The suggestions for 17 detected pesticides used in Tieguanyin tea plantation were made, including those already banned from use in China (dicofol and methomyl), recommended for diminished use (thiacloprid and chlorpyrifos), and permitted use with considering the pre-harvest interval (13 other pesticides).

Perchlorate contamination of tea leaves and a corresponding probabilistic dietary risk assessment using Monte Carlo simulation.

Perchlorate is known as a thyroid disrupter. Its contamination in various tea samples was monitored, and 286 samples belonging to four types of tea leaves were analysed. The detection rate of perchlorate in tea was 99.3%. The mean concentration in different tea types decreased in order from green tea, oolong tea, white tea to black tea. A probabilistic approach was performed to evaluate the dietary exposure of perchlorate for six different subpopulations. The daily intakes (EDIs) for consumers over the age of 41 were higher than that of other subpopulations. The hazard quotient for six groups was lower than 1 even at the extreme percentile (P99). It indicates that the risk of dietary exposure to perchlorate from tea consumption for Fujian people is acceptable without considering other foodstuffs. However, the high occurrence of perchlorate in tea samples suggested that the actual source of this contaminant should be further investigated.

Occurrence of pesticides in white tea and a corresponding risk exposure assessment for the different residents in Fujian, China.

White tea has been of increasing public interest worldwide owing to its health benefits. Based on 2 years of surveillance, the long-term and cumulative chronic exposure risks of pesticide residues through white tea drinking were assessed for different subpopulations in Fujian, China. Twenty-five different pesticides were found, and 74.8% of samples contained at least one pesticide residue. The most frequently detected pesticide was bifenthrin with detection rates of 61.6%. Risk assessment was performed using both the deterministic approach and semiprobabilistic model under the best-case and the worst-case scenarios. The results demonstrated that the dietary risks were extremely low for six different subpopulations in which the risks for adults over the age of 41 were relatively higher. The risk ranking scheme indicated that isocarbophos and triazophos were considered to be of medium risk. The different use suggestions for the 25 positive pesticides are proposed to further minimize the exposure risk to consumer health. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Tea is the second most popular nonalcoholic beverage throughout the world. Pesticides are used to improve the yield of tea. Pesticide residues in tea could be one of the exposure pathways for consumers. Monitoring residual levels and assessing the health risk assessment in tea are thus in an urge.

Dietary risk assessment of pesticide residues on Tremella fuciformis Berk (snow fungus) from Fujian Province of China.

To assess the dietary exposure risks of pesticide residues in snow fungus for the general population and young children, 91 snow fungus samples were collected from major production areas in Fujian Province, China and the presence of 44 pesticides was determined. A total of thirteen pesticides were detected; 65.9% of the samples contained one or more pesticide residues. The most frequently found pesticide was carbofuran, followed by acetamiprid and then imidacloprid. Data obtained were used for chronic, acute, and chronic cumulative dietary exposure risk assessments. The chronic hazard quotient (cHQ) was extremely low for both the general population and young children. The %ADI values of cumulative dietary exposures to organophosphorus pesticides and carbamates ranged from 0.53% to 1.49%, and did not exceed their corresponding ADIs. However, the acute dietary risks from all 13 pesticides, especially carbofuran and methamidophos, were of concern due to the relatively high acute hazard quotient. The risk ranking scheme showed that carbofuran could pose a high risk to snow fungus consumers. Finally, suggestions are made about the potential use in snow fungus cultivation of the pesticides with detected residues.