Occurrence and Risk of Metal(loid)s in Thelesperma megapotamicum Tea Plant

Details

• Personal Author:
  Hodge FS ; Samuel-Nakamura C
• Description:
  This study reports on the harvesting, ingestion, and contamination of American Indian tea Thelesperma megapotamicum grown on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico. Uranium (U) and co-metal(loid)s (As, Cd, Cs, Mo, Pb, Se, Th, and V) have contaminated local soil and plants. Tea plants were gathered for analysis near U mining impacted areas. The study collected samples of wild tea plants (n = 14), roots (n = 14), and soil (n = 12) that were analyzed with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Tea harvesting activities, behavior, and ingestion information were collected via questionnaires. Harvesting took place in community fields and near roadways. Results indicate edible foliage concentration levels for Cd exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) raw medicinal plant permissible level guidelines. Tea samples collected near high traffic areas had significantly greater Cd and Mo concentrations than those collected near low traffic areas (p < 0.001). Tea sample metal(loid) concentration levels ranged from 0.019-7.916 mg/kg. When compared to established food guidelines including the WHO provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI), reference dietary intake, recommended dietary allowance, and the tolerable upper limit (UL), Cd exceeded the WHO guidelines but none exceeded the PTWI nor the UL. These findings warrant improved standardization and establishment of universal guidelines for metal(loid) intake in food. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Agriculture Arsenic Cadmium Environmental Exposure Environmental Pollution Inorganic Chemicals Lead Metals Occupational Health Safety Vanadium

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• Keywords:
  Agricultural Products Author Keywords: Tea Cesium Diné Environmental Contamination Environmental Exposure Foodstuff Greenthread Metalloids Molybdenum Navajo Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake Thorium Tolerable Upper Limit Uranium

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• ISSN:
  2223-7747
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  California ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  21
• Volume:
  9
• Issue:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20058164
• Citation:
  Plants 2020 Jan; 9(1):21
• Contact Point Address:
  Christine Samuel-Nakamura, School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 4-246 Factor Bldg., Mailcode 691821, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
• Email:
  csamnak@ucla.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  Arsenic (CAS RN 7440-38-2) ; Cadmium (CAS RN 7440-43-9) ; Cesium (CAS RN 7440-46-2) ; Lead (CAS RN 7439-92-1) ; Molybdenum (CAS RN 7439-98-7) ; Selenium (CAS RN 7782-49-2) ; Thorium (CAS RN 7440-29-1) ; Vanadium (CAS RN 7440-62-2)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2020
• Performing Organization:
  University of California Los Angeles
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Plants
• End Date:
  20270630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:8f70078f663ddabe54b9dbd99dbc179dc35fefba8fd5338d0c3af98f5ad5dd8807889dd9fee4d48e80f7697faa17425442c20c1673cc4b4f0e9b16b613f5b51f
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/221303/cdc_221303_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 562.21 KB ]