In this study, total arsenic (As), inorganic arsenic (iAs), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), pesticides, and aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, G2) in Indian rice (Oryza sativa) and their dietary exposure risks for the general Saudi population were evaluated. A total of 483 samples were acquired from various ports and supermarkets throughout the country. Average elemental concentrations were found to be in the following order: As (0.1 ± 0.024)>iAs (0.038 ± 0.015)>Pb (0.023 ± 0.008)>Cd (0.019 ± 0.005)>Hg (0.002 ± 0.0004), and results did not exceed maximum residue limits (MRLs). Out of the 294 analyzed pesticides, 15 were detected in rice, of which six were fungicides, and nine were insecticides with a detection frequency of 22% and 26%, respectively. Eight of the detected pesticides were non-approved by the European Union (EU) commission, but their detection frequencies were low. Surprisingly, rice samples analyzed for aflatoxins were below the limit of quantification (LOQ). Risk assessment coupled with Monte Carlo simulation based on the hazard quotient (HQ) and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) approaches revealed that exposure to metal(loid)s and pesticides in rice were below levels that might pose a health risk.
Keywords: Heavy metal; Inorganic arsenic; Mycotoxin; Pesticide; Rice; Risk assessment.
Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.