Investigation on Inorganic Arsenic Pollution of Seafood in Zhejiang Coast and Potential Dietary Health Risk Assessment

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to detect total arsenic and arsenic speciation contamination in 679 seafood samples of 38 species collected in coastal areas of Zhejiang province. Based on the arsenic pollution datas and the residents’ food consumption,the health risk of inorganic arsenic intake due to seafood or total dietary consumption was analyzed. The results showed that average contents of total arsenic were 0.36~35.91 mg/kg,mainly existing in the form of organic arsenic such as arsenic betaine or arsenic sugar,accounting for more than 90% of the total arsenic contents.66.4% of the samples contained inorganic arsenic,all below the limit value required in the national standard GB 2762-2017,with detected values ranging from 0.012 to 0.380 mg/kg,and the median value and 95th percentile value was 0.024,0.14 mg/kg,respectively. The risk analysis results showed that the inorganic arsenic safety risk due to consumption of general seafoods by Zhejiang coastal residents was low,and the inorganic arsenic intake values caused by general seafoods or total dietary consumption were all lower than that of recommended by JECFA. Nevertheless,if excessively consumted seafoods with relative high contents of inorganic arsenic(such as seaweed or shellfish)in a long term,there might be a certain health risk.