title: Trace elements in native and improved paddy rice from different climatic regions of Sri Lanka: implications for public health.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Samples of 226 new improved and 21 indigenous rice (Oryza sativaL.) varieties were collected from the rice fields in three climatic zones of Sri Lanka and concentrations of 18 trace elements (Li, B, Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Sr, Mo, Cd, Ba, Pb and Bi) were measured giving particular emphasis on Se, Cd and As using ICP-MS. The two way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) method was employed to identify the differences in composition among rice from different climatic zones.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean values obtained for both white and red rice were Se (36; 25 µg/kg), As (42; 45 µg/kg) and Cd (70; 123 µg/kg) on dry weight basis. However mean content of Se, As and Cd of native rice varieties were 69, 74 and 33 µg/kg, respectively. Statistical interpretations showed that in the majority of cases, there was a significant difference in Cd content among climatic zones whereas Se and Pb show differences between white and red rice varieties. Arsenic did not indicate any significant difference either between rice types or among climatic regions. Notably Se and As contents in indigenous rice were higher than that of improved rice types. To assess the safety of dietary of intake, daily intake of Se, Cd and As by rice were calculated. Non-gender specific Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) of Se, Cd and As consuming improved rice are 9.31, 24.1 and 12.2 µg day-1, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since over 50 % of daily meals of people contain rice or rice based products, Se intake is expected to be deficient among the Sri Lankan population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka ; Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Saranga
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Diyabalanage
authors.affiliation: Bandaranaike Memorial Ayurvedic Research Institute, Navinna, Maharagama, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Thamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Navarathna
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics and Computer Science, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Hemalika T K
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Abeysundara
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Sanath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rajapakse
authors.affiliation: Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Rohana
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3072-5240
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chandrajith
keywords: Chronic kidney disease of uncertain aetiology (CKDu); ICP-MS; Indigenous rice; Paddy soils; Selenium deficiency