Human exposure to metals through the diet in Tarragona, Spain

The concentrations of arsenic (As), beryllium (Be), cadmium (cd), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), tin (Sn), thallium (Tl), and vanadium (V) were determined in a number of food items purchased in zones of Tarragona, County (Catalonia, Spain) near a hazardous waste incinerator (HWI), which has been operating since 1999. Food samples corresponded to the following groups: meat, fish and seafood, pulses, cereals, vegetables, fruits, tubers, whole milk, yogurt, eggs, and sugar. Be and Tl were under their respective limits of detection in all samples. For the analyzed trace elements, the dietary intake by the general population of Tarragona was 458.5 μg/d for As, 14.3 μg/d for Cd, 88.3 μg/d for Cr, 5.3 μg/d for Hg, 2421.4 μg/d for Mn, 138.3 μg/d for Ni, 44.8 μg/d for Pb, 34.6 μg/d for Sn, and 28.9 μg/d for V. Results were compared with those found in a baseline survey carried out in the same area during the construction of the HWI (1996–1998). In general terms, the dietary intake of metals in 2003 was comparatively similar to those found in the baseline survey. For the most toxic elements (As, Cd, Hg, and Pb), it was under their respective Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) estabished by the FAO/WHO.