Cadmium in the food chain nearby non-ferrous metal production sites

Valérie Vromman (1) , Claude Saegerman (2) , Luc Pussemier (3) , André Huyghebaert (4) , Ludwig de Temmerman (5) , Jean-Christophe Pizzolon (5) , Nadia Waegeneers (5)

1 DG Control Policy, Secretariat of the Scientific Committee
2 Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Epidemiology and Risk analysis applied to Veterinary sciences
3 Department of Quality and Safety
4 Department of Food Technology and Nutrition
5 Department of Agro-Ecochemistry, Section of Agro-Ecochemistry

Dietary cadmium (Cd) exposure was estimated for adults living in Cd polluted areas close to non ferrous metal plants, and compared with the dietary Cd exposure of the general Belgian adult population. To evaluate the contamination level of locally produced food items, 35 fruit samples, 97 vegetable samples, 98 samples of potatoes and 53 samples of meat, liver and kidneys of cattle that resided more than 18 months in the polluted area, were analysed for Cd. Mean Cd concentrations in fruits and vegetables were 1.1- to 9-fold larger than in samples from other regions at ambient Cd levels. Mean Cd concentrations in bovine meat, liver and kidneys were twofold larger compared to samples from animals of other regions in Belgium. The estimated dietary intake was 31.3 and 63.3 µg day-1 for average and large consumers in the polluted area, compared to 17 and 38.3 µg day-1 for the general adult population. Extensive consumption of locally produced food items in areas close to non ferrous metal plants could result in Cd intake levels exceeding the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI).

Mots clés: Life Sciences

Valérie Vromman, Claude Saegerman, Luc Pussemier, André Huyghebaert, Ludwig de Temmerman, et al.. Cadmium in the food chain nearby non-ferrous metal production sites. Food Additives and Contaminants, 2008, 25 (03), pp.293-301. ⟨10.1080/02652030701509980⟩. ⟨hal-00577476⟩