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Cancer and non-cancer health effects from food contaminant exposures for children and adults in California: a risk assessment.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: In the absence of current cumulative dietary exposure assessments, this analysis was conducted to estimate exposure to multiple dietary contaminants for children, who are more vulnerable to toxic exposure than adults. METHODS: We estimated exposure to multiple food contaminants based on dietary data from preschool-age children (2-4 years, n=207), school-age children (5-7 years, n=157), parents of young children (n=446), and older adults (n=149). We compared exposure estimates for eleven toxic compounds (acrylamide, arsenic, lead, mercury, chlorpyrifos, permethrin, endosulfan, dieldrin, chlordane, DDE, and dioxin) based on self-reported food frequency data by age group. To determine if cancer and non-cancer benchmark levels were exceeded, chemical levels in food were derived from publicly available databases including the Total Diet Study. RESULTS: Cancer benchmark levels were exceeded by all children (100%) for arsenic, dieldrin, DDE, and dioxins. Non-cancer benchmarks were exceeded by >95% of preschool-age children for acrylamide and by 10% of preschool-age children for mercury. Preschool-age children had significantly higher estimated intakes of 6 of 11 compounds compared to school-age children (p<0.0001 to p=0.02). Based on self-reported dietary data, the greatest exposure to pesticides from foods included in this analysis were tomatoes, peaches, apples, peppers, grapes, lettuce, broccoli, strawberries, spinach, dairy, pears, green beans, and celery. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary strategies to reduce exposure to toxic compounds for which cancer and non-cancer benchmarks are exceeded by children vary by compound. These strategies include consuming organically produced dairy and selected fruits and vegetables to reduce pesticide intake, consuming less animal foods (meat, dairy, and fish) to reduce intake of persistent organic pollutants and metals, and consuming lower quantities of chips, cereal, crackers, and other processed carbohydrate foods to reduce acrylamide intake.

SUBMITTER: Vogt R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3551655 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Cancer and non-cancer health effects from food contaminant exposures for children and adults in California: a risk assessment.

Vogt Rainbow R Bennett Deborah D Cassady Diana D Frost Joshua J Ritz Beate B Hertz-Picciotto Irva I

Environmental health : a global access science source 20121109

<h4>Background</h4>In the absence of current cumulative dietary exposure assessments, this analysis was conducted to estimate exposure to multiple dietary contaminants for children, who are more vulnerable to toxic exposure than adults.<h4>Methods</h4>We estimated exposure to multiple food contaminants based on dietary data from preschool-age children (2-4 years, n=207), school-age children (5-7 years, n=157), parents of young children (n=446), and older adults (n=149). We compared exposure esti ...[more]

PMID: 23140444

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Project description:Acetamide (CAS 60-35-5) is detected in common foods including milk, eggs, beef, and roasted coffee beans. Chronic rodent bioassays using high doses (≥1000 mg/kg/day) suggest acetamide is a group 2B possible human carcinogen due to the induction of liver tumors. Weight-of-evidence indicates acetamide is not genotoxic, and therefore a threshold response is expected. We used a toxicogenomics approach in Wistar rats gavaged daily for 7 and 28 days to determine the benchmark dose (BMD), and investigate its mode of action from differential gene expression. Two exposure experiements were carried out in succsession. An initial dose range finding experiment used male Wistar rats gavaged daily for 7 days at 0, 30, 100, 300 and 1000 mg/kd/day. A second experiment used both male and female Wistar rats exposed for 7 and 28 days to 0, 300,500,750,1000 and 1500 mg/kg/day. No treatment related changes in terminal body weight, clinical chemistry, or histopathology were observed at doses of 30, 100, or 300 mkd. At 1000 mkd, the dose reported to elicit carcinogenesis, liver weights decreased 1.3-fold with the presence of single cell necrosis, hepatocyte vacuolization, and increased mitotic activity consistent with a 4.2 fold increase in the cell proliferation index. Accordingly, plasma ALT and AST were increased 2.0- and 2.2-fold, respectively. RNA-Seq analysis identified 1 differentially expressed gene at 300 mkd, and 2,685 at 1000 mkd (|fold-change| ≥ 1.5 and FDR ≤ 0.05). Down-regulated genes were associated with lipid metabolism while up-regulated genes included cell signaling, immune response, and cell cycle functions. Collectively, these results revealed a no-observable adverse effect level (NOAEL) and no-observed-transcriptional effect level (NOTEL) at 300 mkd, warranting further investigation at doses between 300 and 1000 mkd to identify the benchmark dose (BMD). Functional enrichment indicates perturbation of cell cycle and lipid metabolism, though a more refined dose-response evaluation will be needed to demonstrate dose-dependent effects related to the MOA of acetamide. Funding by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1142801).

Project description:BackgroundBottled water (BW) consumption in the United States and globally has increased amidst heightened concern about environmental contaminant exposures and health risks in drinking water supplies, despite a paucity of directly comparable, environmentally-relevant contaminant exposure data for BW. This study provides insight into exposures and cumulative risks to human health from inorganic/organic/microbial contaminants in BW.MethodsBW from 30 total domestic US (23) and imported (7) sources, including purified tapwater (7) and spring water (23), were analyzed for 3 field parameters, 53 inorganics, 465 organics, 14 microbial metrics, and in vitro estrogen receptor (ER) bioactivity. Health-benchmark-weighted cumulative hazard indices and ratios of organic-contaminant in vitro exposure-activity cutoffs were assessed for detected regulated and unregulated inorganic and organic contaminants.Results48 inorganics and 45 organics were detected in sampled BW. No enforceable chemical quality standards were exceeded, but several inorganic and organic contaminants with maximum contaminant level goal(s) (MCLG) of zero (no known safe level of exposure to vulnerable sub-populations) were detected. Among these, arsenic, lead, and uranium were detected in 67 %, 17 %, and 57 % of BW, respectively, almost exclusively in spring-sourced samples not treated by advanced filtration. Organic MCLG exceedances included frequent detections of disinfection byproducts (DBP) in tapwater-sourced BW and sporadic detections of DBP and volatile organic chemicals in BW sourced from tapwater and springs. Precautionary health-based screening levels were exceeded frequently and attributed primarily to DBP in tapwater-sourced BW and co-occurring inorganic and organic contaminants in spring-sourced BW.ConclusionThe results indicate that simultaneous exposures to multiple drinking-water contaminants of potential human-health concern are common in BW. Improved understandings of human exposures based on more environmentally realistic and directly comparable point-of-use exposure characterizations, like this BW study, are essential to public health because drinking water is a biological necessity and, consequently, a high-vulnerability vector for human contaminant exposures.

Project description:BackgroundResidential natural gas cooking burners (NGCBs) can emit substantial quantities of pollutants, and they are typically used without venting range hoods.ObjectiveWe quantified pollutant concentrations and occupant exposures resulting from NGCB use in California homes.MethodsA mass-balance model was applied to estimate time-dependent pollutant concentrations throughout homes in Southern California and the exposure concentrations experienced by individual occupants. We estimated nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and formaldehyde (HCHO) concentrations for 1 week each in summer and winter for a representative sample of Southern California homes. The model simulated pollutant emissions from NGCBs as well as NO2 and CO entry from outdoors, dilution throughout the home, and removal by ventilation and deposition. Residence characteristics and outdoor concentrations of NO2 and CO were obtained from available databases. We inferred ventilation rates, occupancy patterns, and burner use from household characteristics. We also explored proximity to the burner(s) and the benefits of using venting range hoods. Replicate model executions using independently generated sets of stochastic variable values yielded estimated pollutant concentration distributions with geometric means varying by <10%.ResultsThe simulation model estimated that-in homes using NGCBs without coincident use of venting range hoods-62%, 9%, and 53% of occupants are routinely exposed to NO2, CO, and HCHO levels that exceed acute health-based standards and guidelines. NGCB use increased the sample median of the highest simulated 1-hr indoor concentrations by 100, 3,000, and 20 ppb for NO2, CO, and HCHO, respectively.ConclusionsReducing pollutant exposures from NGCBs should be a public health priority. Simulation results suggest that regular use of even moderately effective venting range hoods would dramatically reduce the percentage of homes in which concentrations exceed health-based standards.

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Cancer and non-cancer health effects from food contaminant exposures for children and adults in California: a risk assessment.

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Cancer and non-cancer health effects from food contaminant exposures for children and adults in California: a risk assessment.

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