Lee et al. 2023 — Seven potentially toxic metals in fresh fruits consumed in South Korea
This is the first health risk assessment of dietary exposure to seven metals (As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Sb) through fresh fruit consumption in South Korea, using ICP-MS to analyze 207 samples of 14 commonly consumed fruit species collected from supermarkets across six regions in 2019. Mean concentrations (mg/kg fresh weight) across all samples were: As <0.0021, Ba 0.3675, Cd <0.0022, Cr 0.0307, Ni 0.0815, Pb 0.0236, and Sb <0.0021. Non-carcinogenic hazard indices (HI = 0.0275) and carcinogenic risks for As and Pb (4.62×10⁻⁷ and 5.05×10⁻⁷ respectively) were all below threshold values for the Korean population as a whole, though Pb hazard quotient and cancer risk in apples were the highest among children aged 1–2 years.
Key numbers
Seven metals quantified in 207 fresh fruit samples from 14 species.
Overall means (mg/kg fresh weight): As <0.0021, Ba 0.3675, Cd <0.0022, Cr 0.0307, Ni 0.0815, Pb 0.0236, Sb <0.0021.
Ba showed highest concentrations across most fruit species. Kiwi had the widest Ba range: 0.5005 ± 0.4822 mg/kg (range 0.0249–1.8392 mg/kg, n=45). Apple Ba mean 0.5475 ± 0.2882 mg/kg (range 0.1142–1.1670, n=45). Orange Ba mean 0.5239 ± 0.2782 mg/kg (range 0.1136–0.9161, n=15).
Ni was the second-highest detected metal with a mean of 0.0815 mg/kg across all samples; Cr mean 0.0307 mg/kg; Pb mean 0.0236 mg/kg.
As, Cd, and Sb were largely below LOD (all <0.0021 or <0.0022 mg/kg) in most fruit species. Pb was detected above LOD in some apple and pear samples.
Hazard quotient ranking: Pb (0.0149) > As (0.0086) > Ni (0.0081) > Sb (0.0080) > Ba (0.0031) > Cd (0.0027) > Cr (0.0001). Sum HI = 0.0275.
Carcinogenic risks: As = 4.62×10⁻⁷, Pb = 5.05×10⁻⁷ (both below 1×10⁻⁴ threshold).
LOD: 2.098–3.009 µg/kg; LOQ: 6.923–9.930 µg/kg for the seven metals.
Only Ba showed a significant negative correlation with Pb (ρ = −0.5385) across all fruit samples at the 95% confidence level.
Methods (brief)
ICP-MS (Agilent JP-7900) with microwave-assisted acid digestion (HNO₃ and H₂O₂). Edible portions homogenized after washing, peeling, and removing inedible parts. Certified reference material NIST 1573a (tomato leaves). Method validated per AOAC guidelines. Concentrations reported on fresh weight basis. Non-detect samples at or below LOD/LOQ. Cr assumed trivalent for health risk calculation. As assumed inorganic for cancer risk calculation.
Limitation: As measured as total arsenic; paper assumes inorganic for health risk purposes, which overstates iAs exposure if organic arsenic fractions are significant in fruit matrices.
Implications
Certification: Pb levels in apples, though low on average, are the dominant risk signal for young children (1–2 years) in this dataset. Supports monitoring of Pb in apple-based products for infant and toddler populations.
Courses: Demonstrates that fresh fruits as a category generally pose low heavy metal risk in a well-monitored market (South Korea), with Ba as the most prominent quantified metal and Pb as the primary regulatory concern.
App: Mean fresh weight values usable as baseline estimates for fresh fruit matrices in Korea; Ba values are well above detection for app purposes; As, Cd, Sb concentrations largely at or below LOD.