title: [Evaluation of human health risk for a population from Cali, Colombia, by exposure to lead, cadmium, mercury, 2,4-dichloro-phenoxyacetic acid and diuron associated with water and food consumption].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Exposure to pollutants such as pesticides and heavy metals has been linked to health problems. Several studies have revealed the presence of these contaminants in Cali; however, there is no information available about the main routes of exposure and risk of these contaminants.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the risk associated with the intake of cadmium, lead and mercury, and pesticides 2,4-D and diuron through the consumption of water and food in a population in Cali.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population and environmental data were obtained, and a risk assessment was performed using United States Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The concentrations of the evaluated pollutants were below permissible levels as established by the Colombian Ministerio de Ambiente, Vivienda y Desarrollo Territorial (3 µg/L -1 of cadmium; 10 µg/L -1 of lead; 1 µg/L -1 of mercury; 1 µg/L -1 of 2,4 D; 1 µg/L -1 of diuron). Salema butterfish ( Peprilus snyderi ) samples contained levels of cadmium between 20 and 80 µg/kg -1 , which are below the permissible limit set by the World Health Organization (100 µg/kg -1 ). The results of the risk assessment indicated that the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic attributable risk to population health from the intake of food contaminants was below the maximum level permitted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is believed that the findings in previous studies on pollutants may have been due to specific contamination events; therefore, monitoring and early warning about water intake is recommended. Furthermore, the report of cadmium being found in fish consumed as food suggests the need for quality control by regulators.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Investigación en Contaminación Ambiental por Metales y Plaguicidas, Departamento de Química, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
authors.forename: Ghisliane
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Echeverry
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Investigación en Epidemiología y Salud Poblacional, Escuela de Salud Pública, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
authors.forename: Andrés Mauricio
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Zapata
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Investigación en Contaminación Ambiental por Metales y Plaguicidas, Departamento de Química, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
authors.forename: Martha Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Páez
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Investigación en Epidemiología y Salud Poblacional, Escuela de Salud Pública, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
authors.forename: Fabián
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Méndez
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Abastecimiento de Agua, Saneamiento Ambiental y Conservación del Recurso Hídrico, Grupo de Investigación en Epidemiología y Salud Poblacional, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad del Valle.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peña
mesh_terms: D015084:2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis*; D003105:Colombia; D004237:Diuron / Q000032:analysis*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002104:Cadmium; D015084:2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid; D004237:Diuron; D008628:Mercury