title: Arsenic in the human food chain: the Latin American perspective.
abstract: Many regions of Latin America are widely reported for the occurrence of high arsenic (As) in groundwater and surface water due to a combination of geological processes and/or anthropogenic activities. In this paper, we review the available literature (both in English and Spanish languages) to delineate human As exposure pathways through the food chain. Numerous studies show that As accumulations in edible plants and crops are mainly associated with the presence of high As in soils and irrigation waters. However, factors such as As speciation, type and composition of soil, and plant species have a major control on the amount of As uptake. Areas of high As concentrations in surface water and groundwater show high As accumulations in plants, fish/shellfish, livestock meat, milk and cheese. Such elevated As concentrations in food may result in widespread health risks to local inhabitants, including health of indigenous populations and residents living close to mining industries. Some studies show that As can be transferred from the water to prepared meals, thereby magnifying the As content in the human diet. Arsenic speciation might also change during food preparation, especially during high temperature cooking, such as grilling and frying. Finally, the review of the available literature demonstrates the necessity of more rigorous studies in evaluating pathways of As exposure through the human food chain in Latin America.
authors: Faculty of Engineering and Surveying, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland 4350, Australia. jochenbundschuh@yahoo.com
authors: Jochen
authors: J
authors: Bundschuh
authors: Bibhash
authors: B
authors: Nath
authors: Prosun
authors: P
authors: Bhattacharya
authors: Chen-Wuing
authors: CW
authors: Liu
authors: María Aurora
authors: MA
authors: Armienta
authors: Myriam V
authors: MV
authors: Moreno López
authors: Dina L
authors: DL
authors: Lopez
authors: Jiin-Shuh
authors: JS
authors: Jean
authors: Lorena
authors: L
authors: Cornejo
authors: Luciene Fagundes
authors: LF
authors: Lauer Macedo
authors: Alfredo Tenuta
authors: AT
authors: Filho
mesh_terms: D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis*; D020387:Food Chain; D060587:Groundwater / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001151:Arsenic