Status Paper on

ARSENIC IN RICE: CONSEQUENCES AND WAY FORWARD

Dr. Muhammad Shar !

Pa" stan A#r $u%tura% Resear$h Coun$ % So$ a% S$ en$es D & s on

Is%ama'ad( Septem'er )*+, -a'%e o! Contents Des$r pt on

1. Introduction 2. Methodology 3. Incidence of Arsenic in Rice 4. Source of Arsenic in Soil and Water 5. Consequences of Arsenic . Conclusion !. Way "orard #. References

Pa#e Num'er
1 1 1 3 4 4 4

ARSENIC IN RICE: CONSEQUENCES AND WAY FORWARD

1. Introdu$t on

Arsenic a$$ears %oth in organic as &ell as inorganic for'. (rganic is not considered as har'ful unless ta)en in *ery high doses &hile inorganic Arsenic is har'ful e*en in lo&er doses. Researchers at +ritain,s -ni*ersity of Manchester and the Indian Institute of Che'ical +iology in .ol)ata carried out a $ro%e &ith the hel$ of 41! *illagers in India,s West +engal. /he ne& study says arsenic le*els of 200 'icro1gra's or 'ore $er )ilo are found in significant $ercentages of rice gro&n in China2 +angladesh2 3a$an2 4a)istan2 5uro$e and the -nited States. "or the study $o$ulation2 2006g7)g total arsenic &as equi*alent to a$$ro8i'ately 1#0 6g7)g inorganic arsenic in rice and to a 'ean daily inta)e of inorganic arsenic of 2.0 6g7)g1%&7day. /his inta)e *alue2 a%o*e &hich &e o%ser*e genoto8ic effects /here has %een little research on Arsenic in rice in 4a)istan2 ho&e*er arsenic in &ater2 fro' &here rice also ta)es it u$ has %een &ell docu'ented. /he consu'$tion of arsenic conta'inated &ater causes ad*erse i'$acts on hu'an health&hich in1return detoriates socio1econo'ic status of the $o$ulation. Inadequate drin)ing &ater not only results in 'ore sic)ness and death2 %ut also causes higher health care cost2 lo& &or) $roducti*ity2 lo&er school enroll'ent2 and increased $o*erty. /herefore2 safe drin)ing &ater is an essential co'$onent of $ri'ary health care and is i'$erati*e for $o*erty alle*iation 9Ah'ad et al.2 2005:. ). Methodo%o#.

/his $a$er relies on the re*ie& of e8isting national and international literature to reach at the current status of the 'enace of arsenic $oisoning. ;ittle has %een studied in 4a)istan so far in this area so inferences fro' literature $roduced &orld&ide ha*e %een e'$loyed to reach at &orth&hile conclusion. ,. In$ den$e o! Arsen $ n R $e

Meharg et. al.2 92012: conducted a study on Arsenic in rice and found *arying le*els of arsenic in 'ore than 0 rices and rice $roducts in -SA. (rganic rice %a%y cereal2 rice %rea)fast cereals2 %ro&n rice2 &hite rice<ne& tests %y Consu'er Re$orts ha*e found that those and other ty$es of rice $roducts on grocery shel*es contain arsenic2 'any at &orriso'e le*els. Arsenic not only is a $otent hu'an carcinogen %ut also can set u$ children for other health $ro%le's in later life. Meharg et. al.2 92012: ha*e further stated that they also found arsenic in a$$le and gra$e =uices. /hey tested 'ore than 200 sa'$les of a host of rice $roducts. /hey included iconic la%els and store %rands2 organic $roducts and con*entional ones> so'e &ere ai'ed at the %oo'ing gluten1 free 'ar)et./hey found significant le*els of inorganic arsenic2 &hich is a carcinogen2 in al'ost e*ery $roduct category2 along &ith organic arsenic2 &hich is less to8ic %ut still of concern. Moreo*er2 the foods2 they chec)ed are $o$ular sta$les2 eaten %y adults and children ali)e. /hough rice isn,t the only dietary source of arsenic<so'e *egeta%les2 fruits2 and e*en &ater can

har%or it<the 5n*iron'ental 4rotection Agency of -SA assu'es there is actually no ?safe@ le*el of e8$osure to inorganic arsenic. Ao federal li'it e8ists for arsenic in 'ost foods2 %ut the standard for drin)ing &ater is 10 $arts $er %illion 9$$%:. .ee$ in 'indB -sing the 51$$% standard in their study2 they found that a single ser*ing of so'e rices could gi*e an a*erage adult al'ost one and a half ti'es the inorganic arsenic he or she &ould get fro' a &hole day,s consu'$tion of &ater2 a%out 1 liter. /he -SA Rice "ederation infor'ed consu'ers that there is no reason to %e concerned a%out arsenic in food. Its &e%site states that arsenic is ?a naturally occurring ele'ent in soil and &ater@ and ?all $lants ta)e u$ arsenic.@+ut ?natural@ does not equal safe. Inorganic arsenic2 the $redo'inant for' of arsenic in 'ost of the 5 rice $roducts IARCanalyCed2 is ran)ed %y the International Agency for Research on Cancer 9IARC: as one of 'ore than 100 su%stances that are Drou$ 1 carcinogens. It is )no&n to cause %ladder2 lung2 and s)in cancer in hu'ans2 &ith the li*er2 )idney2 and $rostate no& considered $otential targets of arsenic1induced cancers. A'ongst the *arious rice sa'$les tested the highest Arsenic concentrations &ere found in rice fro' "rance and -S &hile lo&est in 5gy$t2 India2 Ae$al and 4a)istan 9Meharg2 2012:.

SourceB Meharg et. al. 92012:

Aahar et. al. 9200#: conducted a study in +angladesh &hich re*ealed that 'en in rural households are generally found to %e 'ore susce$ti%le to arsenocosis than &o'en. /he sur*ey also indicated that *illagers &ith lo&er annual inco'e are 'ore li)ely to e8$erience arsenocosis. 4. Sour$e o! Arsen $ n So % and Water

/hough arsenic can enter soil or &ater due to &eathering of arsenic1containing 'inerals in the earth2 hu'ans are 'ore to %la'e than Mother Aature for arsenic conta'ination in the -.S. today2 according to the federal Agency for /o8ic Su%stances and Eisease Registry. /he -.S. is the &orld,s leading user of arsenic2 and since 1F10 a%out 1. 'illion tons ha*e %een used for agricultural and industrial $ur$oses2 a%out half of it only since the 'id11F 0s. Residues fro' the decades of use of lead1arsenate insecticides linger in agricultural soil today2 e*en though their use &as %anned in the 1F#0s. (ther arsenical ingredients in ani'al feed to $re*ent disease and $ro'ote gro&th are still $er'itted. Moreo*er2 fertiliCer 'ade fro' $oultry &aste can conta'inate cro$s &ith inorganic arsenic. Rice is not the only source of arsenic in food. A 200F110 study fro' the 54A esti'ated that rice contri%utes 1! $ercent of dietary e8$osure to inorganic arsenic2 &hich &ould $ut it in third $lace2 %ehind fruits and fruit =uices at 1# $ercent2 and *egeta%les at 24 $ercent. A 'ore co'$lete study %y the 5uro$ean "ood Safety Authority found cereal $roducts could account for 'ore than half of dietary e8$osure to inorganic arsenic2 'ainly %ecause of rice. Rice a%sor%s arsenic fro' soil or &ater 'uch 'ore effecti*ely than 'ost $lants. /hat,s in $art %ecause it is one of the only 'a=or cro$s gro&n in &ater1flooded conditions2 &hich allo& arsenic to %e 'ore easily ta)en u$ %y its roots and stored in the grains. In the -.S. as of 20102 a%out 15 $ercent of rice acreage &as in California2 4F $ercent in Ar)ansas2 and the re'ainder in ;ouisiana2 Mississi$$i2 Missouri2 and /e8as. /hat south1central region of the country has a long history of $roducing cotton2 a cro$ that &as hea*ily treated &ith arsenical $esticides for decades in $art to co'%at the %oll &ee*il %eetle. 58tensi*e sur*eys of south central -.S. rice2 %y 'ore than one research grou$2 ha*e consistently sho&n that rice fro' this region is ele*ated in inorganic arsenic co'$ared to other rice1 $roducing regions2@ says Andre& Meharg2 $rofessor of %iogeoche'istry at the -ni*ersity of A%erdeen in Scotland and co1author of the %oo) ?Arsenic G Rice.@ ?And it does not 'atter relati*e to ris) &hether that arsenic co'es fro' $esticides or is naturally occurring.@ High le*els of arsenic in soil can actually reduce rice yields. Meharg2 a leading researcher in the field2 notes the Ee$art'ent of Agriculture has in*ested in research to %reed ty$es of rice that can &ithstand arsenic. /hat 'ay hel$ e8$lain the relati*ely high le*els of arsenic found in rice fro' the region2 though other factors such as cli'ate or geology 'ay also $lay a role.

5.

Conse/uen$es o! Arsen $

Haq et.al. narrate that arsencosis is the effect of arsenic $oisoning2 usually o*er a longer $eriod such as fro' 5 to 20 years. Erin)ing arsenic1rich &ater for longer $eriod results in ill1i'$acts on hu'an health &hich include s)in $ro%le's 9such as color changes on the s)in2 and hard $atches on the $al's and soles of the feet:. /hic)ening lesions once de*elo$ed are irre*ersi%le e*en &ith the restoration of safe drin)ing &ater for a long ti'e. ;ong ter' e8$osure also leads to s)in cancer2 %ladder cancers2 )idney and lung2 and diseases of %lood *essels of the legs and feet2 and $ossi%ly dia%etes2 high %lood $ressure and re$roducti*e disorders. /hey also found that in so'e rural *illages2 arsenicosis is gi*en the na'e ICurse of Dod.I /his only hints at the social trau'a effect of arsencosis2 &hich in 'any instances far out&eighs the $hysical $ain and suffering. 5ntire *illages are isolated and treated as le$rous colonies. Wo'en are a%andoned %y their hus%ands2 young &o'en and 'en cannot get 'arried2 'en lose their =o%s2 children are )e$t ho'e fro' school to hide the disease. Haq et.al. o%ser*ed that e'erging health $ro%le' of arsenic conta'ination in drin)ing &ater has 'ostly %een o%ser*ed in southern 4un=a%. Eistrict Rahi' Jar .han has %een categoriCed as one of the high ris) arsenic i'$acted area &hich is situated on the %an) of ri*er Indus. /he 'ost affected union councils are located *ery near on the Indus ri*er i.e. +asti Rasul 4ur2 Ra=an $ur .alan2 and +ahoodi 4ur qureshian. Rahi' Jar )han is a $ro'inent agriculture $roduction land and 'ain cro$s are Cotton2 &heat and sugarcane &hich require e8tensi*e use of $esticides and fertiliCers2 the $ro%a%le causes of ground &ater arsenic conta'ination. Arsenic is ta)en u$ %y rice $lants fro' soil conta'inated &ith *arious concentrations of Arsenic. Co'$rehensi*e sur*eys are required to test conta'ination in rice and other cro$s in all $ro%a%le areas. 0. Con$%us on

Arsenic consu'$tion e*en in lo& doses o*er a $eriod of ti'e leads to diseases ranging fro' s)in $ig'entation to cancers. Although a study has found 4a)istani aro'atic rice to %e lo& in arsenic co'$ared to other *arieties in other countries2 still the $ro%le' needs to %e focused on and the causes of this conta'ination that includes agricultural and industrial che'icals that find their &ay to the ground&ater and soil in the root Cone need to %e %anned. 1. Wa. For2ard

"ollo&ing strategies are $ro$osed for the go*ern'ent to a*oid fro' the consequences of arsenicB -rgent efforts are required for setting a standard for arsenic in rice. Rice industry should accelerate efforts to reduce arsenic le*els in rice as li'its of 200 $$% 9inorganic: for &hite rice and 300 $$% 9total or inorganic: for %ro&n rice are under discussion 9A grou$ ad*ising the World Health (rganiCation is 'eeting in 2014 to consider $ro$osed arsenic standards for rice:.

Scientists should focus to de*elo$ rice culti*ars that ta)e u$ less arsenic2 and use rice &ith the lo&est $ossi%le arsenic in $roducts for young children2 such as infant rice cereal. Regulators need to $rohi%it agricultural $ractices that 'ay lead to increases in arsenic in riceB /he MA"SR should $hase out use of $esticides containing arsenic. MA"SR Should end the use of arsenic1laden 'anure as fertiliCer. /he MA"SR should %an the feeding of arsenic1containing drugs and ani'al %y$roducts to ani'als. Consu'ers, -nion on the lines of Consu'ers, -nion of -SA should %e for'ed to 'onitor haCards in food.

Rice Consu'ers are $ro$osed to change the rice coo)ing 'ethods and diet di*ersification in order to a*oid fro' the consequences of arsenic. +oth are gi*en as underB Chan# n# R $e Coo" n# Method: Change the &ay you coo) rice. Jou 'ay %e a%le to cut your e8$osure to inorganic arsenic in rice %y rinsing ra& rice thoroughly %efore coo)ing2 using a ratio of cu$s &ater to 1 cu$ rice for coo)ing and draining the e8cess &ater after&ard. /hat is a traditional 'ethod of coo)ing rice in Asia. /he 'odern technique of coo)ing rice in &ater that is entirely a%sor%ed %y the grains has %een $ro'oted %ecause it allo&s rice to retain 'ore of its *ita'ins and other nutrients. +ut e*en though you 'ay sacrifice so'e of riceKs nutritional *alue2 research has sho&n that rinsing and using 'ore &ater re'o*es a%out 30 $ercent of the riceKs inorganic arsenic content. D et D &ers ! $at on: 5at a *aried diet. So'e *egeta%les can accu'ulate arsenic &hen gro&n in conta'inated soil. /o hel$2 clean *egeta%les thoroughly2 es$ecially $otato s)ins. So'e fruit =uices such as a$$le and gra$e =uice are high in arsenic. 58$eri'ent &ith other grains. Lary your grains2 es$ecially if you eat 'ore than t&o or three ser*ings of rice $er &ee). /hough not arsenic1free2 &heat and oats tend to ha*e lo&er le*els than rice. And quinoa2 'illet2 and a'aranth are a'ong other o$tions for those on a gluten1free diet2 though they ha*e not %een studied as 'uch.

3.

Re!eren$es

Ingha' . R 92013:2?Scientists sound ne& &arning for arsenic in rice@2 EAWA2 0!123120132 +aner=ee.M 2Ailan=ana +aner=ee 2 4ritha +hattachar=ee2 Ee%a$riya Mondal2 4aul R. ;ythgoe2 Mario MartMneC2 3ian8in 4an2 Ea*id A. 4olya G Asho) .. Diri2 20122 Aature2 ?High arsenic in rice is associated &ith ele*ated genoto8ic effects in hu'ans, &e%siteB htt$B77&&&.nature.co'7 sre$720137130!227sre$021F5 7 full 7 sre$021F5.ht'l accessed on 17#72013 MehargAndre& A.2 ". 3. Nhao2 "e%120122 ?Arsenic G Rice@2S$ringer Consu'er Re$orts 'agaCineB Ao*e'%er 20122Arsenic in your foodB(ur findings sho& a real need for federal standards for this to8in Haq . ul Isla' 2 Waqas Hanif 2 Dhali% Hasnain G Shahid EureC 92012: ?Socio1econo'ic I'$acts on Hu'an ;ife in Arsenic Affected Area of +asti Rasul 4ur2 Rahi' Jar .han2 4a)istan@2 Sustaina%le Agriculture Research> Lol. 12 Ao. 2> 20122 4u%lished %y Canadian Centerof Science and 5ducation Aahar2 A.2 Hossain2 ".2 G Hossain2 M. E. 9200#:. Healthand socio1econo'ic effects of ground&ater arsenic conta'ination in rural +angladeshB5*idence fro' "ield Sur*eys. 3ournal of 5n*iron'ental Health9in $ress:.