Arsenic, cadmium, mercury, sodium, and potassium concentrations in common foods and estimated daily intake of the population in Valdivia (Chile) using a total diet study.

This study was designed to estimate the dietary intake of total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, cadmium, mercury, sodium, and potassium by the general adult population (aged 18-65) of Valdivia, Chile. Calculations were based on a 24-h dietary recall survey. The highest dietary intake of t-As (73.0 μg/day), i-As (20.0 μg/day), Cd (18.0 μg/day), Hg (5.8 μg/day), Na+ (3112.8 mg/day), and K+ (2077.5 mg/day) were for 70-kg adults. Estimating carcinogenic risk (CR > 4 × 10-4) due to exposure to i-As indicated that consumers remain at low risk for cancer. The cumulative health risk was evaluated by summing the target hazard quotient of cadmium (0.26) mercury (0.27) and inorganic arsenic (0.96); this calculation allows us to express the total target hazard quotient as 1.50 where a value > 1 indicates that there is a potential health risk for the population. Total intake of Cd and Hg were therefore within the limits estimated as being safe whereas Na+ and K+ intake for the Valdivia population did not follow the recommended values established by the World Health Organization (WHO). The Na+ intake exceeded the daily recommended intake while K+ intake was lower than the daily recommended intake. This indicates a health risk for the Valdivia population.