Determination of potentially toxic element contents of cereal products consumed in Kastamonu and evaluation of health risk

Adequate, balanced, and safe food consumption is essential for people to sustain their lives and related processes. Grains (such as wheat, rice, barley, corn, oats, etc.) are staple foods worldwide, including in our country, and they serve as a primary source of energy, protein, and fiber in nutrition, while also containing health-promoting components like vitamins and minerals. However, potentially toxic elements (PTEs) that spread as a result of human activities and/or natural processes are among the main contaminants in food. PTEs can enter the human body through food products (grains, legumes, vegetables, etc.) grown in contaminated soil, potentially causing serious health issues. In this study, the PTEs present in some grain samples consumed in Kastamonu, located in Turkey's Western Black Sea Region, were analyzed using an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. Additionally, the non-carcinogenic health risk, average daily dose, risk coefficient, and risk index associated with the digestion of these PTEs in the samples were calculated and evaluated. The concentrations of As, Cd, Hg, and Pb in the analyzed grain samples were found to be below the detection limit. The PTEs analyzed in thirty-eight grain samples belonging to six different groups were ranked according to their average values as follows: Mn (47.4 mg/kg) > Fe (44.6 mg/kg) > Zn (39.1 mg/kg) > Cu (7.9 mg/kg) > Ni (7.4 mg/kg) > Ti (6.7 mg/kg) > Sn (6.2 mg/kg) > Co (5.8 mg/kg) > Sr (2.7 mg/kg) > Cr (2.6 mg/kg). The results of the health risk assessment indicated that the analyzed PTEs in grain samples other than wheat do not pose a non-carcinogenic health risk.