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Spices and herbs play an important role in the human diet, mostly due to the presence of essential oils and high antioxidant activity. Therefore, the toxicity of metals raises concerns about the safety of consumption of spices and herbs. This paper examines the content of Cd and Pb in fresh and dried herbs and single-component spices that are the most popular in Polish cuisine: 100 samples of nine kinds of dried herbs, 184 samples of 15 kinds of fresh herbs and 148 samples of 14 kinds of loose single-component spices. The level of Cd and Pb was determined using the GF AAS method. The safety of herbs and spices for consumption was estimated based on the percentage intake of Cd and Pb compared with the tolerable intake (% TWI, % BMDL), chronic daily intake (CDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI) and comparisons of the results of chemical analyses with the maximum admissible levels of Cd and Pb in Poland and in the European Union. Calculated per fresh weight of the product, dried herbs on average contained 0.134 ± 0.168 mg of Cd and 0.548 ± 0.161 mg of Pb per kg -1 , fresh herbs on average contained 0.004 ± 0.007 mg of Cd and 0.039 ± 0.033 mg of Pb per kg -1 , and the mean content of Cd in spices was 0.017 ± 0.019 mg per kg -1 and 0.064 ± 0.050 mg of Pb. The % TWI, % BMDL, CDI, THQ and HI (Cd + Pb) for all the analysed products were lower than 1. The results do not imply a risk due to the supply of Cd and Pb with the diet to the human body, primarily due to the small intake of these products. However, it should be highlighted that the content of Cd in dried coriander and estragon and that of Pb in watercress, jiaogulan, celery, basil and dill exceeded the acceptable limit. Thus, their consumption for people from particularly sensitive groups such as babies, pregnant and breastfeeding women and people should be carefully limited., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The presence of heavy metals in food is a global problem. The paper aimed to examine the content of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in instant coffee and instant coffee substitutes. The safety of consumption of the beverages by adult Poles was estimated based on the following parameters: tolerable weekly intake (TWI) %, benchmark dose lower confidence limit (BMDL) %, chronic daily intake (CDI), target hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI), for three beverage consumption patterns-one, two or three servings a day. Forty-nine samples of coffee, instant coffee drinks and coffee substitutes were analysed. The content of cadmium and lead was determined by ICP (inductively coupled plasma) analysis. The maximum level of Cd in the analysed beverages was 3.2 µg, and that of Pb was 82.6 µg per 1 kg. The tolerable level of intake of Cd (TWI) and Pb (BMDL) with the analysed beverages did not exceed 2.5%. The value of CDI, THQ and HI was not higher than 1, which means that the risk of diseases related to chronic exposure to Cd and Pb consumed with coffee should be evaluated as very low. However, special note should be taken of Pb, as the level of this metal was higher than that of Cd, and for beverages with a higher weight per serving (e.g. Cappuccino), the intake of Pb can exceed consumer-safe levels if they are consumed on a regular basis. Therefore, it should be considered whether it is advisable for flavoured multi-ingredient instant coffee drinks to be consumed from time to time only, and natural coffee with optional milk and/or sugar be the choice of regular coffee drinkers., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Metal cadmium (Cd) and its compounds are ubiquitous industrial and environmental pollutants and they have been believed to exert severe damage to multiple organs and tissues. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are the two most common noncoding RNAs and have pivotal roles in various cellular and physiological processes. Since the importance of miRNAs and lncRNAs in Cd toxicity has been widely recognized, we focus our interests on the current researches of miRNAs and lncRNAs as well as their regulation roles in Cd toxicity. In this paper, the keywords "cadmium" in combination with "miRNA" or "LncRNA" or "noncoding RNA" was used to retrieve relevant articles in PubMed, EMbase, CNKI, Wan Fang, and CBM databases. The literatures which contained the above keywords and carried out in animals (in vivo and in vitro) have been collected, collated, analyzed, and summarized. Our summary results showed that hundreds of miRNAs and lncRNAs are involved in the Cd toxicity, which have been demonstrated as multiple organ injury, reproductive toxicity, malignant transformation, and abnormal repair of DNA damage. In this paper, we also discussed the blank in present research field of Cd toxicity as well as suggested some ideas for future study in Cd toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) are elements arousing major public health concerns associated with environmental pollution, high toxicity potential, and carcinogenic nature. However, selenium (Se) at low doses and incorporated into enzymes and proteins has antioxidant properties and protects animals and humans from the risk of various diseases. It also has an exceptionally narrow range between necessary and toxic concentrations, which is a well-known hindrance in its use as a dietary supplement. The present article aims to update and expand the role of Se in As and Cd toxicity discussed in our earlier paper. In general, recent reports show that Se, regardless of its form (as selenite, selenomethionine, nanoSe, or Se from lentils), can reduce As- or Cd-mediated toxicity in the liver, kidney, spleen, brain, or heart in animal models and in cell culture studies. As was suggested in our earlier review, Se antagonizes the toxicity of As and Cd mainly through sequestration of these elements into biologically inert complexes and/or through the action of Se-dependent antioxidant enzymes. An increase in the As methylation efficiency is proposed as a possible mechanism by which Se can reduce As toxicity. However, new studies indicate that Se may also diminish As or Cd toxicity by activation of the Nrf2 pathway. In addition, this paper discusses possible signs of Se toxic effects, which may be a challenge for its future use in the therapy of As and Cd poisoning and provide future directions to address this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aimed to analyse the safety of drinking coffee by adult Poles in terms of Pb and Cd content. The degree to which Cd and Pb passed from coffee grounds into the coffee infusion was also examined. Twenty-three samples of natural coffee were examined. The content of metals was determined using the ICP method. On average, dry coffee contained ca. 0.004 μg Cd and 0.05 μg Pb per 1 g, and 95.5% Cd and 94% Pb passed into the infusion. Drinking coffee supplies these metals in the amount of less than 2% TWI (tolerable weekly intake) for Cd and BMDL (benchmark dose lower confidence limit) for Pb. In the presented studies, the values of CDI (chronic daily intake), THQ (target hazard quotient) and HI (hazard index) indicators were lower than 1, which means that the risk of developing diseases connected with chronic exposure to Cd and Pb consumed with coffee must be evaluated as very low. The content of Cd and Pb in the analysed coffee infusions was very low, so drinking coffee does not pose a risk for consumers in terms of the content of these metals. However, it must be remembered that no threshold limits for toxic metal consumption exist because these metals accumulate in the body for a long time. The studies presented here also showed a low (r = 0.26) but still a positive correlation between the content of Pb in coffee and the degree (%) to which Pb passed into the infusion. This problem should be thoroughly investigated.

The paper aimed to evaluate the degree of contamination of honey available on the Polish market with cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb). The analyses involved 49 samples of honey: monofloral (n = 24): linden, raspberry, goldenrod, bean, dandelion, buckwheat and rapeseed honey, multifloral honey (n = 17) and coniferous honeydew honey (n = 8). The content of Cd and Pb was determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometers (ICP-OES). The content of Cd and Pb was confirmed in all the analysed honeys, but in 18% of samples the level of Cd was < LOQ. The analysed honeys contained from < LOQ to ca. 0.09 mg Cd per 1 kg, on average 0.025 mg kg−1. On average, they contained 0.193 mg Pb (range 0.014–1.007) per 1 kg of the raw product. The content of Cd and Pb can be presented as: honeydew honey > multifloral honey > monofloral honey. The content of Cd in monofloral honeys can be presented as follows: linden > other (raspberry, goldenrod, bean, linden + bean) > dandelion = buckwheat = rape, while the content of Pb as linden > other > rapeseed > buckwheat > dandelion honey. It should be emphasised that consuming 19 g of honey a week (mean honey consumption in Poland) is safe for human health, as it results in an intake of Cd at the level of 1.18E-04% PTWI and 0.553% PTWI for children and an intake of Pb at the level of 0.641% BMDL01 for adults and 5.916% BMDL for children. The obtained results lead to a conclusion that the risk of disorders related to chronic exposure to Cd and Pb ingested with honey is very low, which is demonstrated by the fact that both children and adults showed CDI, CR, THQ and HI that were lower than 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origins of the usage of different substances in beauty, skin, body, hair, and nails care products can be found in ancient times. To achieve better quality and enhance their effects, some additives such as preservatives, stabilizers, mineral pigments, dye, and shine were added to these products. Some of these substances may also have allergic, irritating, and harmful effects on human health. The aim of this study was the optimization of the potentiometric stripping analysis (PSA) for the purpose of determining the content of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, zinc), in some commercial cosmetic beauty products (lipsticks, lip glosses, eye shadows, and henna hair dye). In addition, in order to monitor the potential adverse effects of henna dye on hair quality, as well as the total body burden of heavy metals (Pb, Cd), the paper analyzed hair samples before and after henna dye treatment. Beauty products used for cosmetic purposes can have adverse effects to human health due to the fact that they contain lead, a highly toxic metal. The lead content in the tested samples varied depending on the additives used along with the method of production. The cosmetic products that were analyzed in this study contained a certain amount of zinc, which is an essential element, although its content above the prescribed limit may lead to side effects. Highly toxic metal, cadmium, was not detected in the tested samples. The presence of these metals in cosmetic products certainly indicate that it is necessary to monitor and determinate the content of toxic heavy metals in these products, especially because they are in direct contact with skin or mucous membranes and are often used in daily life.

Copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) are the most common heavy metals that are easily detected in aquatic environments on a global scale. In this paper, we investigated the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels of HSPs (HSP60, HSP70, and HSP90) in the liver of the common carp exposed to Cu, Cd, and a combination of both metals by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot. The results indicated that in each exposure group, the mRNA levels of HSP60, HSP70, and HSP90 were increased significantly compared to the corresponding controls after 96 h of exposure (P < 0.05). A significant increase was observed in the HSP70 protein level in the high-dose Cu group and all of the Cd groups. Significant increases were also observed in the protein levels of HSP60 and HSP90 in the high combination group and the low combination group, respectively. These results indicated that the dynamics of HSP expression observed in the common carp support the role of HSPs as biochemical markers in response to environmental pollution and provided valuable insights into the adaptive mechanisms used by the common carp to adapt to the challenges of stressful environments.

Due to environmental pollution, wild animals are exposed to various pollutants. Some game animals, such as wild boars are used by people for food, but their meat is not evaluated regarding pollution transfer, since they are unavailable on the official market. The aim of this paper is to present the concentrations of chosen metals (Cd, Co, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn) in the kidneys, liver, and muscles of wild boars ( n = 40) hunted in eastern Slovakia, as derivatives of physiological distribution and anthropogenic pollution. We found that sex was not a statistically significant factor for metal concentrations. Tissue differences were observed for all the metals studied except for Co. Cd, Cu, and Hg showed the highest median concentrations in kidney tissue with the lowest in muscle tissue (2.73, 3.78, and 0.061 μg/g w.w., respectively). The highest Zn median concentration was noted in the liver tissue with the lowest in muscle tissue. Co and Cu concentrations varied according to the age groups. Correlations between metal concentrations in muscle and kidney tissue were not especially strong; such relationships were not found in liver tissue. Among all the potential relationships of the given metal concentrations between tissues, the only significant relationship, albeit weak, was noted for Pb in muscle and liver tissue. The concentrations found seem not to be extremely high, but according to EU maximum permitted residue levels for Cd and Pb concentrations in meat, none of the samples studied was fully fit for human consumption. TWI and risk was also excessive for both metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental pollutant that is considered to be a potent toxin to organisms. Selenium (Se) has been known for its concomitant biological effects and characteristics with Cd. Due to the lack of the research regarding how the duality of Cd/Se affects immune cytokines in poultry, this paper aims to partly tackle this question. Chicken splenic lymphocytes with Cd (10(-6) mol/L CdCl2), Se (10(-7) mol/L Na2SeO3), Cd + Se (10(-7) mol/L Na2SeO3 and 10(-6) mol/L CdCl2), and a control group were incubated for 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 h, respectively. At each time point, the cells were collected and the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-17, and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) were also examined. Compared with the control group and the Se-alone-treated group, the mRNA expression levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-17, and IFN-γ decreased significantly in the Cd-alone-treated group. By contrast, the mRNA expression level of IL-1β markedly increased. Levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-17, and IFN-γ in Cd + Se-treated groups were significantly higher than those in Cd-alone-treated groups; however, the levels were not as high as the Se-alone-treated groups and the control group. The mRNA expression level of IL-1β in the Cd + Se-treated group was lower than in the Cd-alone-treated group. The relationships with IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 were found to be closer in the PC 1 matrix and 3D plot of the principal component analysis (PCA) loadings. IL-17 and IFN-γ were closer in the matrix of PC 2. However, IL-1β gene expression appeared to be isolated in the matrix of PC 3. In addition, the results of cytokine cluster analysis showed that IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-17, and IFN-γ were in the first group and that IL-1β was in the second group. Therefore, Se partly attenuate immune toxicity induced by Cd in chicken splenic lymphocytes.

The bovine milk quality, safety, and security are of great concern mainly due to the dispersion of toxic substances from various anthropogenic activities and poor practices for organophosphates in agriculture use. This study evaluated the potential risk to human health from lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As) from the consumption of milk produced in an area of the Central Andes valley near a mini mineral concentrator by estimating the weekly intake (WI), dietary risk quotient (DRC), hazard quotient (THQ), and hazard index (HI) for the Peruvian population aged 2 to 85 years, in three scenarios of milk consumption by age (minimum, average, and maximum). Toxic element quantification was performed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry following standardized procedures. The mean amount ± standard deviation of Pb, Cd, and As in soils was 292±60.90, 3.54±1.58, and 5.60±2.20 mg/kg, the order of importance being Pb>As>Cd. The contents of Pb, Cd, and As in pastures were 23.17±10.02, 0.25±0.57, and 0.06±0.09 mg/kg, being from highest to lowest Pb>Cd>As. The means of Pb, Cd, and As content in 19 milk samples were 0.029±0.022, 0.007±0.006, and 0.010±0.004 mg/kg. Pb and Cd exceeded the maximum permissible limits (MPL), and the As was below the MPL. At all ages and milk consumption levels, the WI for Pb and Cd were below the estimated tolerable intake (TWI). The WI for As in < 19 years was higher than the TWI. The DRC for Pb and Cd at all three milk intake levels and all ages was < 1, and for As, it was > 1 in < 19 years, being the risk group. The TQH and HI for Pb and Cd were also > 1, signifying no health risk, and for As, the values were > 1 in < 11 years. Our results are valuable for preventing adverse health impacts from safe and innocuous milk consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]