title: Methylmercury varies more than one order of magnitude in commercial European rice.
abstract: Rice is known to accumulate methylmercury (MeHg) in the rice grains. MeHg as a neurotoxin impacts on the human central nervous systems and especially on the developing brain. In this exploratory study, 87 commercial rice products sold in Europe, including nine baby-rice products, were analyzed for total Hg and MeHg content. MeHg concentration in all rice products investigated range from 0.11 to 6.45μgkg(-1) with an average value of 1.91±1.07μgkg(-1) and baby-rice is not significantly different from other rice products. Total Hg ranges from 0.53 to 11.1μgkg(-1) with an average of 3.04±2.07μgkg(-1). MeHg concentrations in all rice products studied in this work would not exceed the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). 30% of all commercial market rice products exceeded 10% of the PTWI calculated for toddlers or 13% of products for adults with rice based diet.
authors: Trace Element Speciation Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Meston Walk, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, United Kingdom; PS Analytical, Arthur House, Crayfields Industrial Estate, Main Road, Orpington, Kent BR5 3HP, United Kingdom.
authors: Christoph-Cornelius
authors: CC
authors: Brombach
authors: Trace Element Speciation Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Meston Walk, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, United Kingdom.
authors: Parinda
authors: P
authors: Manorut
authors: PS Analytical, Arthur House, Crayfields Industrial Estate, Main Road, Orpington, Kent BR5 3HP, United Kingdom.
authors: Piumi P P
authors: PPP
authors: Kolambage-Dona
authors: Trace Element Speciation Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Meston Walk, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, United Kingdom; Environmental Health Department, University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Mohammed Farouk
authors: MF
authors: Ezzeldin
authors: PS Analytical, Arthur House, Crayfields Industrial Estate, Main Road, Orpington, Kent BR5 3HP, United Kingdom.
authors: Bin
authors: B
authors: Chen
authors: PS Analytical, Arthur House, Crayfields Industrial Estate, Main Road, Orpington, Kent BR5 3HP, United Kingdom.
authors: Warren T
authors: WT
authors: Corns
authors: Trace Element Speciation Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Meston Walk, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, United Kingdom.
authors: Jörg
authors: J
authors: Feldmann
authors: Trace Element Speciation Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Meston Walk, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, United Kingdom. Electronic address: e.krupp@abdn.ac.uk.
authors: Eva M
authors: EM
authors: Krupp
mesh_terms: D004032:Diet; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food / Q000032:analysis*; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D012275:Oryza / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds
keywords: Food quality; Market survey; Mercury; Methylmercury; Rice; Speciation