Human health risk assessment of cadmium via dietary intake by children in Jiangsu Province, China

The goal of this study was to quantify the exposure to dietary cadmium (Cd) and analyze the major contributors to total Cd intake of children from Jiangsu Province, China. The Cd concentration data were collected by the National Food Contamination Monitoring Program between 2001 and 2009. Consumption data were derived from the Chinese National Nutrition and Health Survey in 2002. The beta-binomial-normal model which included age as a covariate was used to assess the long-term dietary Cd intake assuming lower bound and upper bound concentration scenarios. A tolerable weekly intake of 2.5 µg/kg body weight for Cd was applied in the risk assessment. Cd intake decreased as age increased with almost all mean values and P95 of the estimates exceeding the tolerable weekly intake. Children with high-end exposure may suffer non-carcinogenic effects over a lifetime of exposure. Rice and rice products, wheat flour and wheat flour products, crustaceans, pak-choi, pig meat, and beans and bean products were found to be the major contributors to the total Cd intake in children. These conservative estimates of Cd intake indicate possible public health concerns for children in Jiangsu Province.