Health risk assessment of dietary cadmium intake in children aged 2–17 years in East China

Food is the main way for people to be exposed to heavy metal cadmium (Cd), and Cd pollution will affect human health. In this paper, exposure and health risk assessment of dietary Cd intake were conducted in children aged 2, 3, 4, 5, 6–8, 9–11, 12–14 and 15–17 years in East China. The results showed that the total exposure of dietary Cd intake in children exceeded the standard limits. The total exposure of all age groups were 1.11 × 10 –3 , 1.15 × 10 –3 , 9.67 × 10 –4 , 8.75 × 10 –4 , 9.18 × 10 –4 , 7.75 × 10 –4 , 8.24 × 10 –4 , 7.11 × 10 −4 mg kg −1 d −1 , respectively, and the highest was the children aged 3 years. The hazard quotients of children aged 2 and 3 years were 1.11 and 1.15, respectively, at an unacceptable health risk level. The hazard quotients of dietary Cd intake in children of other ages were less than 1, at an acceptable health risk level. Staple foods were the most significant contributor to the dietary Cd intake in children, and the contribution ratio of non-carcinogenic risk of dietary Cd intake in all age groups were more than 35%, the proportion of non-carcinogenic risk in children aged 6–8 and 9–11 years were as high as 50%. This study provides scientific basis for the health of children in East China.