Heavy metal, total arsenic, and inorganic arsenic contents of algae food products

The total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury contents of 18 algae food products currently on sale in Spain were determined. The suitability of the analytical methodologies for this type of matrix was confirmed by evaluating their analytical characteristics. The concentration ranges found for each contaminant, expressed in milligrams per kilogram of dry weight, were as follows: total arsenic, 2.3-141; inorganic arsenic, 0.15-88; lead, < 0.05-1.33; cadmium, 0.03-1.9; and mercury, 0.004-0.04. There is currently no legislation in Spain regarding contaminants in algae food products, but some of the samples analyzed revealed Cd and inorganic As levels higher than those permitted by legislation in other countries. Given the high concentrations of inorganic As found in Hizikia fusiforme, a daily consumption of 1.7 g of the product would reach the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake recommended by the WHO for an average body weight of 68 kg. A more comprehensive study of the contents and toxicological implications of the inorganic As present in the algae food products currently sold in Spain may be necessary, which might then be the basis for the introduction of specific sales restrictions.     

Contribution of water, bread, and vegetables (raw and cooked) to dietary intake of inorganic arsenic in a rural village of Northern Chile

Total and inorganic As contents of cooked vegetables obtained from an arsenic endemic area of Chile were analyzed. Inorganic As intake from those foods, bread, and water was estimated. The study was performed in two different periods, in which the water used by the population for drinking and cooking purposes contained 0.572 (first period) or 0.041 microg mL(-)(1) (second period). In the first period, the FAO/WHO reference intake was exceeded by all of the persons interviewed. In the second period, the reference intake was exceeded by all of the persons interviewed ages 13-15. The foods studied contributed 4% (first period) or 25% (second period) of the inorganic As intake. The results show the contribution of food to inorganic As intake and the risk to which those ages 15 or younger are exposed.     

Arsenic in cooked seafood products: study on the effect of cooking on total and inorganic arsenic contents

Total and inorganic arsenic contents were analyzed in cooked seafood products consumed in Spain during the period July 1997-June 1998: hake, meagrim, small hake, anchovy, Atlantic horse mackerel, sardine, bivalves, crustaceans, squid, and salted cod. Various cooking treatments were used (grilling, roasting, baking, stewing, boiling, steaming, and microwaving). The results obtained were compared statistically with those found previously in the same products raw, and they showed that after cooking there was a significant increase in the concentration of total arsenic for salted cod and bivalves, and in the concentration of inorganic arsenic for bivalves and squid. The mean content of inorganic arsenic was significantly higher in bivalves than in any other type of seafood. For the Spanish population, the mean intake of total arsenic estimated on the basis of the results obtained in this study is 245 microg/day. The intake of inorganic arsenic (2.3 microg/day) represents 1.7% of the World Health Organization provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI), leaving an ample safety margin for this population, which has a very high consumption of seafood.     

Survey of total and inorganic arsenic content in blue mussels (Mytilus edulis L.) from Norwegian fiords: revelation of unusual high levels of inorganic arsenic

The present study reports the findings of unusual high levels of inorganic arsenic in samples of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis L.). A total of 175 pooled samples of blue mussels from various locations along the Norwegian coastline were analyzed for their content of total arsenic and inorganic arsenic. Total arsenic was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) following microwave-assisted acidic digestion of the samples. Inorganic arsenic was determined using an anion-exchange HPLC-ICPMS method following microwave-assisted alkaline solubilization of the samples. For the majority of the samples (78%) the concentration of total arsenic was below 3 mg kg(-1) wet weight (ww) and inorganic arsenic constituted <9% of the total arsenic (i.e., <0.25 mg kg(-1) ww). However, in some samples higher concentrations of total arsenic were found (up to 13.8 mg kg(-1) ww) and the inorganic arsenic content constituted up to 42% of the total arsenic (up to 5.8 mg kg(-1) ww). These are among the highest inorganic arsenic concentrations reported so far for marine animals. The findings of samples with concentrations of inorganic arsenic above 0.53 mg kg(-1) ww were restricted to sampling sites from two counties, Sogn and Fjordane and Hordaland, whereas samples from the rest of the country showed lower inorganic arsenic concentrations. Consumption of a meal containing 200 g of the blue mussels with the highest content of inorganic arsenic would for a 70 kg person lead to a 10% excess of the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) value for inorganic arsenic of 15 microg kg(-1) of body weight week(-1).     

Nitrate,arsenic, cadmium,and lead concentrations in leafy vegetables: expected average values for productive regions of Chile

High arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and nitrate (NO₃^?) concentrations in soil pose a risk for the human population and compromise food safety. The goal of this study was to obtain preliminary approximations for the expected mean values of As, Cd, Pb, and N-NO₃ in three leafy vegetables (lettuce, spinach, and chard) grown in the central farming regions of Chile. Representative samples (n = 148) of these crops were collected from the Coquimbo, Valparaíso, and Metropolitana Regions. Water extraction and an ion-selective electrode were used to determine NO₃^? contents, while total As, Cd, and Pb contents were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The recorded values were 23.8%, 59.2%, and 97.9% below detection limits for As, Cd, and Pb, respectively. Furthermore, As and Cd intake by leafy vegetables reached 0.26 and 2.30% of the daily intake levels estimated by Chilean authorities. The daily NO₃^? intake by leafy vegetables was 0.44 mg per kg of bodyweight per day (kgbw^?1day^?1), or 12% of the WHO-recommended intake. No analyses were performed for Pb due to highly left-censored data. While the recorded NO₃^?, As, and Cd concentrations in lettuce, spinach, and chard do not apparently pose a health risk, further detailed studies are suggested.     

Interrill and rill erodibility in the northern Andean Highlands

There is a lack of quantitative information describing the physical processes causing soil erosion in the Andean Highlands, especially those related to interrill and rill erodibility factors. To assess how susceptible are soils to erosion in this region, field measurements of interrill (Ki) and rill (Kr) erodibility factors were evaluated. These values were compared against two equations used by the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP), and also compared against the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) erodibility factor. Ki observed in situ ranged from 1.9 to 56 × 10⁵ kg s m^− 4 whereas Kr ranged from 0.3 to 14 × 10^− 3 s m^− 1. Sand, clay, silt, very fine sand and organic matter fractions were determined in order to apply WEPP and USLE procedures. Most of the evaluated soils had low erodibility values. However, the estimated USLE K values were in the low range of erodibility values. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were applied to ascertain the influence of the independent soil parameters on the Ki and Kr values. After this, we yield two empirical equations to estimate Ki and Kr under this Andean Highlands conditions. Ki was estimated using as predictors silt and very fine sand, while Kr used as predictors clay, very fine sand and organic matter content. Relationship among Ki, Kr and K are described for the Highland Andean soils.     

The evidence for the extent of N.I. Vavilov's new world Andean centres of cultivated plant origins

Vavilov's ideas on New World centres of crop plant diversity are reviewed and the development of his ideas from 1926 to 1940 are described. More recent collecting work and taxonomic studies by the author confirm largely the delimitation of the American gene centres suggested by Vavilov, even in regard to details, e.g. within Bolivia.     

The co-evolutionary perspective of the food-medicine continuum and wild gathered and cultivated vegetables

Accumulated evidence suggests that our genes are still adapted to a pre-agriculturalist diet, which was devoid of refined sugars and dairy products and that our modern dietary behaviour is in great part responsible for several modern life style diseases. Especially the consumption of fruits, spices and vegetables, cultivated or gathered from the wild, are perceived as being healthy or endowed with a prophylactic effect and therefore many of these dietary items are regarded as both at the same time: food and medicine. I argue that green leafy vegetables began to contribute substantially to the human diet only with the beginning of agriculture, when the ecological niche of weeds began to prosper. Wild gathered vegetables added to the agriculturalists’ dietary need in form of a back-up resource in times of shortage and in form of micronutrients and allelochemicals promoting the development of the modern pharmacopoeias. Similarly to wild gathered foods are cultivated staples recently getting more attention by phytochemists and pharmacologists. Especially local cultivars and agro-ecotypes may present interesting opportunities for phytochemical and pharmacological analysis in the attempt of identifying bioactive dietary allelochemicals. Chemical and biological characterization of local crop cultivars serves for the selection of varieties with specific nutraceutical properties. Germplasm can be obtained from several local organizations, which arrange easy access to seeds and products of rare crop cultivars, foster their commercialization and secure catering through the conservation of agro-biodiversity.     

Changes in total and labile carbon and nitrogen contents in a sandy soil after the conversion of a succession fallow to cultivated land

The content of soil organic matter (SOM) can be considered as an important factor for evaluating soil fertility, crop yields, and environmental effects. Sensitive measurements for the assessment of quantitative changes in SOM shortly after the conversion of the management practice would be helpful to understand the SOM‐transformation cycle in more detail. Changes in SOM are reflected in modifications of total organic‐carbon (TOC) and total organic‐nitrogen (TON) contents. They are initially detectable in the readily decomposable fraction. We used hot water–extractable carbon (HWC) and nitrogen (HWN) as measurement of labile pools of SOM and aimed to quantify changes in contents of these C and N fractions in a sandy soil already few years after changing management strategy. In this context, we examined the impact of the conversion of a succession fallow (F) to organic (O) and intensive (I) agriculture on TOC, total N (TN), HWC, and HWN. The conversion of succession fallow to cultivated land resulted in a significant decrease of TOC, TN, and HWC at 0–10 cm soil depth. On average, TOC decreased approx. 0.70 g C kg^–1 (approx. 9% of initial TOC), TN decreased approx. 0.13 g N kg^–1 (approx. 17% of initial TN), and HWC decreased approx. 0.05 g C kg^–1 (approx. 12% of initial HWC) within 3 years. Relatively rapid changes in TOC and TN contents indicated comparatively high proportions of decomposable C and N. These were reflected in comparable high HWC (ranging from 0.37 to 0.59 g C kg^–1 at 0–30 cm soil depth) and HWN (ranging from 0.04 to 0.10 g N kg^–1 at 0–30 cm) contents. These high contents as well as the high HWC : TOC and organic hot water–extractable N (HWN_org) : TN ratios (both between 5% and 7%) implied that the soil investigated has a high ability to provide short‐term available organic C and N compounds. Long‐lasting applications of high quantities of organic fertilizer in the past and high quantities of rhizodepositions were assumed as reasons for the high capability of soil to provide short‐term to medium‐term available C and N. Changes in the HWN content due to the fertilization or crop rotation were mainly based on changes in its inorganic part. This ranged between 10% and 30% of HWN. By discriminant function analysis, it could be shown that the HWN represents a suitably sensitive measurement for the determination of management‐specific impacts in terms of the N, but also of the C cycle. In combination with other C and particularly with other N parameters, the HWN allowed a statistically significant separation of comparable sites varying in management practice already 2 years after the conversion of the management system.     

北方耕地和蔬菜保护地土壤磷素状况研究

以北方一般耕地和蔬菜保护地为供试土壤 ,研究了不同种植条件下土壤磷素状况 ,蔬菜保护地土壤磷素的空间分布特性。结果表明 ,蔬菜保护地土壤全磷、无机磷、有机磷、Olsen-P的平均含量是一般耕地土壤的 2.7～14.0倍 ,土壤Olsen P占全磷的比率 ,Ca2-P ,Ca8-P ,Al-P占土壤无机磷的比率显著高于一般耕地土壤。蔬菜保护地土壤各形态磷素主要积累在 0～20cm土层 ,并随土层深度的增加各形态磷素的含量逐渐降低 ,各土层Olsen-P ,Ca2-P ,Ca8-P ,Al-P含量降低幅度明显高于Fe-P ,O-P ,Ca10-P含量的降低值     

北方耕地和蔬菜保护地土壤磷素状况研究

以北方一般耕地和蔬菜保护地为供试土壤 ,研究了不同种植条件下土壤磷素状况 ,蔬菜保护地土壤磷素的空间分布特性。结果表明 ,蔬菜保护地土壤全磷、无机磷、有机磷、Olsen-P的平均含量是一般耕地土壤的 2.7～14.0倍 ,土壤Olsen P占全磷的比率 ,Ca₂-P ,Ca₈-P ,Al-P占土壤无机磷的比率显著高于一般耕地土壤。蔬菜保护地土壤各形态磷素主要积累在 0～20cm土层 ,并随土层深度的增加各形态磷素的含量逐渐降低 ,各土层Olsen-P ,Ca₂-P ,Ca₈-P ,Al-P含量降低幅度明显高于Fe-P ,O-P ,Ca₁₀-P含量的降低值     

Basic composition and amino acid contents of mushrooms cultivated in Finland

The basic composition (moisture, total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, crude fat, ash, nitrogen, and protein) and amino acid contents were determined in the cultivated mushrooms Agaricus bisporus/white, Agaricus bisporus/brown, Lentinula edodes, and Pleurotus ostreatus. In addition, nitrogen-to-protein conversion factors were calculated for each species by dividing the sums of amino acid residues with total (Kjeldahl) nitrogen contents. The dry matter contents of mushrooms varied from 7.7% to 8.4%. The dry matter of mushrooms contained large amounts of carbohydrates, from 4.5 (A. bisporus/white) to 5.8 g/100 g fresh weight (L. edodes). L. edodes proved to be an especially good source of dietary fiber (3.3 g/100 g fresh weight); the other mushrooms contained 1.5-2.4 g/100 g fresh weight. Crude fat, ash, and protein (based on amino acid analysis) contents of the mushrooms varied 0.31-0.35, 0.49-0.78, and 1.8-2.09 g/100 g fresh weight, respectively. Mushrooms proved to be good sources of almost all essential amino acids when compared with common vegetables. The mean nitrogen-to-protein conversion factor analyzed in the present study was 4.7 +/- 0.21. When using this factor, a very good estimation of protein contents could be obtained for the main species of mushrooms cultivated in Finland.     

Survey of the total arsenic content in soils in louisiana

Abstract

Arsenic (As) is a widely distributed soil contaminant because of past use of As‐containing pesticides. The total As content of representative soils used for agriculture in the major soil areas of Louisiana was determined. The As content of > 450 samples ranged from near zero to 73 mg/kg with a mean of 23.2 mg/kg. Generally, alluvial soils of the Red and Mississippi Rivers Valleys had the highest As contents, while the Ouachita River alluvial soils had the lowest As contents. In general, As levels increased or remained about the same with increasing profile depths. Total As was significantly related to soil texture; soils with higher clay content having higher As contents. Arsenic level was weakly related to organic matter and As level was weakly inversely related to soil pH. Past widespread use of As‐containing pesticides did not appear to have substantially increased the As content of agricultural soils in Louisiana.     

Comparative study of virgin olive oil quality from single varieties cultivated in Chile and Spain

Olive tree varieties that were cultivated only in the Mediterranean basin a few decades ago are now planted in the Southern Hemisphere as well. The chemical composition of the oils produced in countries as far distant as Spain and Chile are affected by differences in latitude and climate. In this work, seven monovarietal virgin olive oils from Chile (Arbequina, Barnea, Frantoio, Koroneiki, Leccino, Manzanilla and Picual) have been characterized by the chemical compounds responsible for taste (phenols) and aroma (volatiles). The oils were produced in five regions of Chile, and the concentration values of some chemical compounds were related to the geographical location of the olive tree orchards. Virgin olive oils from the major cultivars, Arbequina and Picual, were characterized in comparison with the same monovarietal oils produced in Spain. The concentration values of fourteen volatile compounds showed significant differences (p < 0.05) between the oils produced in Spain and Chile. Concerning the phenol composition, main differences were found on the secoiridoids derivatives of oleuropein and ligstroside, apigenin and luteolin.     

Genetic diversity of Rhizobium present in nodules of Phaseolus vulgaris L. cultivated in two soils of the central region in Chile

Although Phaseolus vulgaris L. is native from the Americas and is currently cultured in diverse areas, very little is known about the diversity of symbiotic nitrogen fixing Rhizobium (mycrosymbiont) in many of those cultures. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the genetic diversity of Rhizobium present in nodules of P. vulgaris in the central region of Chile. A method to extract DNA from surface-sterilized nodules was applied to two populations of the same seed variety grown in different fields. The 16S rRNA and nifH genes were amplified directly from the DNA extracted. DGGE analysis and clone libraries showed a restricted genetic diversity of the microsymbiotic populations that nodulate P. vulgaris. Both molecular markers revealed the presence of a microsymbiont closely related to Rhizobium etli in all the plants from the soils studied, indicating that the populations of Rhizobium sp. nodulating P. vulgaris in the central region of Chile displayed an extremely low genetic diversity. The level of genetic diversity in microsymbiont populations in plants grown in soils with different origin suggested that other factors rather than the indigenous soil rhizobial populations play a major role in the selection of the symbiotic partner in P. vulgaris.     

喀斯特地貌区耕地地力评价与分级

为了解喀斯特地貌区耕地地力详情并掌握土壤肥力演变规律,该文以广西壮族自治区德保县为研究区域,借助GPS（global positioning system）、RS（remote sensing）技术,通过野外调查采样、实验室化验等方法获得耕地地力评价相关信息,包括N、P、K、有机质、pH值、成土母质、排灌能力、障碍因素、耕层厚度、质地等74项基本信息。以GIS（geographic information system）技术为核心基础支撑,综合运用模糊评价、专家意见法、层次分析等方法和模型对耕地地力进行自动化、定量化评价。结果表明：德保县1～6级的耕地面积分别占总耕地面积的8.80%、13.84%、20.29%、39.63%、16.83%、0.61%。在量化分级的基础之上,将此次评价数据与1980年进行的土壤第二次土壤普查数据进行深入比较,比较发现：德保县的耕地地力总体水平上升;有机质、有效磷的含量水平明显上升;同时pH值趋于中性;速效钾呈下降趋势。该结果为喀斯特地貌区的个性化施肥、土壤改良、农业生产决策、绿色农产品的生产等提供了基础信息和科学依据。     

泉州蔬菜硝酸盐污染的调查及探讨

调查了 1 1类型 5 9种蔬菜 ,发现泉州蔬菜硝酸盐污染普遍 ,严重超标。其NO3- 累积量一般规律是 :叶菜类 >根菜类 >薯芋类 >茄果类 >葱蒜类 >芽苗菜类、瓜类 >豆类 >水生类 >多年生类 >食用菌类。另外 ,从调查分析中 ,发现了施肥和土壤肥力水平对蔬菜体内NO3- 含量影响相当大。     

Bioavailability of inorganic arsenic in cooked rice: practical aspects for human health risk assessments

Arsenic is present in rice grain mainly as inorganic arsenic. Little is known about the effect of cooking on inorganic arsenic content in rice and its bioavailability. This study evaluated total arsenic and inorganic arsenic in rice cooked with arsenic-contaminated water, the bioaccessibility of As(III) and As(V) after simulated gastrointestinal digestion, and the extent of arsenic retention and transport by Caco-2 cells used as a model of intestinal epithelia. After cooking, inorganic arsenic contents increase significantly. After simulated gastrointestinal digestion, the bioaccessibility of inorganic arsenic reached 63-99%; As(V) was the main species found. In Caco-2 cells, arsenic retention, transport, and total uptake (retention + transport) varied between 0.6 and 6.4, 3.3 and 11.4, and 3.9 and 17.8%, respectively. These results show that in arsenic endemic areas with subsistence rice diets, the contribution of inorganic arsenic from cooked rice should be considered in assessments of arsenic health risk.     

Fluctuations in the abundance of ammonia oxidizers and the contents of inorganic nitrogen in solarized soil

Solarization makes a great impact on the abundance of ammonia oxidizers and nitrifying activity in soil. To elucidate fluctuations in the abundance of ammonia oxidizers and nitrification in solarized soil, copy numbers of amoA gene of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA), viable number of ammonia oxidizers and inorganic nitrogen contents were investigated in greenhouse experiments. The copy number of amoA gene and the viable number of ammonia oxidizers were determined by the quantitative polymerase chain reaction and most probable number methods, respectively. Abundance of AOB based on the estimation of amoA gene copy numbers and viable counts of ammonia oxidizers was decreased by the solarization treatment and increased during the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivation period following the solarization. Effect of solarization on the copy number of amoA gene of AOA was less evident than that on AOB. The proportion of nitrate in inorganic nitrogen contents was declined by the solarization and increased during the tomato cultivation period following the solarization. Positive correlations were found between the proportion of nitrate in inorganic nitrogen content and the copy number of bacterial or archaeal amoA gene or the viable number of ammonia oxidizers; the copy number of bacterial amoA gene showed a strong correlation with the viable number of ammonia oxidizers. The present study revealed influences of solarization on the fluctuation in the abundance of ammonia oxidizers and dynamics of inorganic nitrogen contents in soil and the results indicate that the determination of amoA gene of AOB is possibly a quick and useful diagnostic technique for evaluating suppression and restoration of nitrification following solarization.     

Cancer risk to Japanese population from the consumption of inorganic arsenic in cooked hijiki

The cancer risk posed by inorganic arsenic (iAs) ingestion via the consumption of hijiki seaweed, a common Japanese food item known to accumulate pentavalent arsenic, was estimated. Fourteen households were asked to supply three portions of cooked hijiki (boiled and fried with vegetables and fried bean curd, etc.), as usually cooked and served per person in each household. The monthly consumption frequency of cooked hijiki was assessed by questionnaire: it was typically two to three times a month in most households. The mean daily consumption of cooked hijiki was estimated to be 6.5 g/day (range = 1.1-14 g/day, median = 5.5 g/day) by multiplying one serving quantity (grams) by the monthly frequency of consumption. The concentration of iAs [As(III) + As(V)] in the cooked hijiki was determined after homogenization, freeze-drying, 0.07 mol/L HCl extraction, and high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICPMS). The concentration of iAs ranged from 0.4 to 2.8 mg/kg (wet weight basis) in the cooked hijiki, and iAs intake from cooked hijiki was calculated to be 0.0005-0.023 mg/day. On the basis of these data and the oral slope factor [1.5E0 (mg/kg/day) (-1)] reported by the U.S. EPA for iAs, the mean skin cancer risk through cooked hijiki consumption was calculated to be 2.4 x 10(-4) (range = 1.6 x 10(-6) -7.0 x 10(-4)), which exceeded the acceptable level of 10(-5). Taking the risk of other cancers (bladder, lung, etc.) into consideration, the contribution to cancer occurrence through the consumption of hijiki seaweed may not be negligible.