Potential Health Risk Assessment of Different Heavy Metals in Wheat Products

Abstract

In the present work, health risk of heavy metals such as As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn in Iranian urban and rural samples including wheat, wheat flour, bread, pasta and sweets were assessed. The real amount of heavy metals in target samples were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Wet ashing and hydride generation techniques were used in sample preparation step. Results showed that heavy metal contaminations in cereal samples were significant. The average concentrations of heavy metals in cereal samples were between 0.01 mg kg−1 to 46 mg kg−1. Finally, the health risk assessment results showed that heavy metal contents in rural samples were higher than those in urban samples. The risk of Cu and Zn was significant in two areas and risk of Cr and Cd was not significant.