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The ubiquitous occurrence of phthalate esters (PAEs) in agricultural soil results in their inevitable accumulation in crops, potentially increasing the risk of human exposure to PAEs via daily food intake. Dietary health risk of PAEs not only depends on locally produced food but also the imported food from other regions. However, the impact of interregional food trade on human dietary exposure to PAEs has been seldom assessed. Herein, we investigated the impact of interregional food trade on the dietary exposure to PAEs that contributed from soil contamination in China. The average daily dietary intake of PAEs for the Chinese general population was 24.3 μg/kg/day when assuming the total consumption of crops from local market only, while the average daily dietary intake of PAEs for the Chinese general population was decreased by 2.9% when the effects of interregional food trade were involved into the calculation. Additionally, the interregional food trade remarkably increased the daily dietary intake of PAEs in the regions of Beijing-Tianjin region (47.8%), North (21.4%) and Central (4.26%). As a result, the hazard quotient value of PAEs in the regions of Beijing-Tianjin region, North and Central increased by 29.4%, 11.0% and 5.0%, respectively, owing to the consumption of imported crops from the highly PAEs contaminated regions. In contrast, the daily intake and hazard quotient value of PAEs in the regions of Central Coast, Northwest, Northeast and South Coast decreased due to the interregional trade. These results indicated that the interregional food trade promoted the transfer of PAEs between regions and thus altered the potential risk to the local population. Overall, this study highlights the importance of taking the interregional food trade into account to provide a more accurate risk assessment of dietary exposure to pollutants. [Display omitted] • The spatial occurrence of PAEs in soil across China was investigated. • The regional concentrations of PAEs in vegetables and rice in China were estimated. • The regional exposure risk to PAEs was influenced by the interregional food trade. • Interregional food trade decreased the nationwide daily intake and risk of PAEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Massive amounts of pig manure are produced by intensive pig farm in China, and the composition of pig manure has changed much due to the use of feed additives. However, little is known about the exact Cu (copper) feed as additives or present as contaminants in pig feed and the residues in feces. One hundred and thirty-seven feeds and one hundred and forty-two fecal samples from 48 pig farms were collected in Beijing and Fuxin cities in 1999 and 2005, respectively. The concentrations of Cu were in the range of 6.86-395.19 mg/kg in the feed samples, and the mean values were in the order of weaner>grower-finisher>sow''s feeds. The high concentrations over EU recommendations implied that excessive levels of Cu are fed on many pig farms in Beijing and Fuxin. Cu was also present in high concentrations in feces, and concentrations were highly variable. Cu concentrations in the feces from grower-finisher and weaner pigs were significantly greater than feces of sows. The super-intensive and small-scale farms had higher levels of Cu in feces than the middle farms. Cu concentrations in pig feces were approximately 5-times greater than in pig feeds. Feed management in grower-finisher pigs on super-intensive and small-scale pig farms is needed to reduce high Cu concentrations in feces and risks to soil contamination while feces are land-applied. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]