Dietary intake risks of trace metal(loid)s via maize-animal-human pathway and derivation of bioavailability-based soil criteria in Hezhang county, China

摘要

Historically metal-polluted agricultural soils are an important source of human exposure to toxic metals such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) through food chains, especially in remote rural areas like Hezhang county, China. This paper aimed to investigate the processes by which a staple food crop, maize (Zea mays L.), became contaminated, identify the dominant exposure pathway and dietary intake risks, identify soils that were unsafe for growing maize, and share findings with farmers and decision-makers.