Quantitative exposure assessment to lead and cadmium by ingestion of contaminated food in a high risk Italian area

摘要

The management of health risk for people living in areas contaminated by atmospheric pollutants requires, in order to identify risk mitigation measures, the estimate of people's exposure to pollutants by inhalation, by ingestion of contaminated food and water and by dermal absorption. This study is part of a larger one aimed at supporting decision-making of public authorities in an area of Sardinia mainly contaminated by lead and cadmium from metallurgic industries and thermoelectric power plants. In particular, the question is whether the consumption of locally produced food is a significant contributor to people's exposure to lead and cadmium. The consumption of some kind of such food was estimated through a sample survey on children (0-10 years), teenagers (11-18 years) and adults living in the area. Results show that the exposure of children to lead and cadmium significantly exceeds the weekly acceptable intakes suggested by FAO/WHO, while an excess of weekly intake is significantly observed only for cadmium in teenagers and adults.