title: A Comparative Assessment of Arsenic Risks and the Nutritional Benefits of Fish Consumption in Kuwait: Arsenic Versus Omega 3-Fatty Acids.
abstract: Inorganic and organic forms of arsenic (As), as well as omega-3 fatty acids were measured in 578 fish/seafood samples that belong to 15 species of commonly consumed seafood in Kuwait. Arsenic speciation data, with the toxicological profile of inorganic arsenic (iAs) and fish consumption rates were applied in a probabilistic risk assessment to estimate the risk from exposure to iAs. The nutritional benefits of omega-3-fatty acid levels in various species of fish were taken into consideration. Results showed that the mean daily intake of iAs through fish consumption among the Kuwaiti population was 0.058 µg/kg/day, and the 95th percentile was 0.15 µg/kg/day. Although the mean intake level did not exceed the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) at 1 × 10-4, the 95th percentile of iAs intake showed an ILCR of 2.7 × 10-4. Kuwaiti children (aged 6-12 years) were found to have a higher mean intake of iAs at 0.10 µg/kg/day with 68% of children in this category, exceeding the risk specific dose associated with an ILCR of 1 × 10-4. The fish species, hammor (grouper; Epinephelus coioides), is the top contributor to iAs intake, and tuna is the major source of omega 3-fatty acids for the Kuwaiti population.
authors.affiliation: Food and Nutrition Program, Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, 13109, Safat, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Husain
authors.affiliation: Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health and Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany, Empire State Plaza, P.O. Box 509, Albany, NY, 12201-0509, USA. Kurunthachalam.kannan@health.ny.gov.
authors.forename: Kurunthachalam
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kannan
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Research in Environmental Genomics, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
authors.forename: Hing Man
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Laird
authors.affiliation: Food and Nutrition Program, Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, 13109, Safat, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Hanan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Al-Amiri
authors.affiliation: Food and Nutrition Program, Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, 13109, Safat, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Basma
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dashti
authors.affiliation: Food and Nutrition Program, Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, 13109, Safat, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Anwar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sultan
authors.affiliation: Information and Communications Technology Department, Executive Director for Administration, Finance and Support Services Sector, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, 13109, Safat, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Amani
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Othman
authors.affiliation: Food and Nutrition Program, Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, 13109, Safat, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Bedraya
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mandekar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007730:Kuwait; D009753:Nutritive Value; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017747:Seafood / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001151:Arsenic