The concentration and risk assessment of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in unrefined salt: a case study of Aran and Bidgol Lake, Iran

Sediment salt or unrefined salt is among the widely used ingredients in a variety of eastern food products while the contamination of this product with properties potentially toxic elements (PTEs) due to their bio-bioaccumulation and persistence can endanger the health of consumers. In this regard, in the current investigation, 62 samples of salt sediment were collected from Aran and Bidgol Lake and the concentration of As, Cd, Ni, and Pb were measured by the aid of an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Also, the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks for the adults and children consumers were estimated by the aid of the Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) method. According to findings, the rank order of PTEs based of their concentration was As (0.41 mg/kg) > Ni (0.22 mg/kg) > Cd (0.17 mg/kg) > Pb (0.15 mg/kg), while the rank order of PTEs according to target hazard quotient (THQ) for the adult's consumers were calculated as As (0.285) > Cd (0.030) > Pb (0.017) > Ni (0.007) and for children was As (1.471) > Cd (0.170) > Pb (0.072) > Ni (0.035). Also, the cancer risk (CR) due to As in the adults and children was measured as 1.27E-4 and 6.19E-4, respectively. The non-carcinogenic health risk demonstrated that all consumers (adults and children) are at the safe range (TTHQ < 1); however, consumers are at cancer risk due to ingestion of As via salt consumption (CR > 10(-4)). Therefore, the continuous and careful monitoring for control entrance sources of As into salt sediment of Aran and Bidgol lake is essential.