Assessment of concentration and toxicological (Cancer) risk of lead, cadmium and chromium in tobacco products commonly available in Bangladesh

• Published in: Toxicology reports Vol. 5; pp. 897 - 902
• Main Authors: Hossain, Md Tawhid, Hassi, Ummehani, Imamul Huq, S.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier B.V 01.01.2018; Elsevier
• Subjects: Bangladesh; Heavy metals; Lifetime cancer risk; Smoke-based and smokeless tobacco; Smoke-based and smokeless tobacco; Bangladesh; ITC; IARC; USEPA; CEPA; Lifetime cancer risk; Heavy metals; WHO; IARC, International Agency for Research on Cancer; CEPA, California Environmental Protection Agency; ITC, international tobacco control; WHO, World Health Organization; USEPA, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• ISSN: 2214-7500; 2214-7500
• DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2018.08.019

[Display omitted] •The concentration of lead, cadmium and chromium were assessed in smokeless and smoke-based tobacco products in Bangladesh.•The toxicological risks of heavy metals in 33 samples exceeded the benchmark of an ‘acceptable’ cancer risk range of 10E-4 to 10E-6.•No significant correction was found between the price of tobacco products and the total concentration of heavy metals. This study aimed to assess the concentrations of heavy metal (‘lead (Pb)’‘cadmium (Cd)’, and ‘chromium (Cr)’) in various brands of four types of tobacco products (zarda, gul, cigarettes, and bidi) as well as calculate toxicological risk as a lifetime cancer risk for Pb, Cd, and Cr. In smokeless tobacco products, the metal concentration ranged from 0.99 to 10.02 μg/g for Pb, 1.05–3.53 μg/g for Cd, and 1.23–7.29 μg/g for Cr, respectively. Metal concentrations in the smoke-based tobacco products ranged from 0.98 to 3.07 μg/g for Pb, 0.91–3.46 μg/g for Cd, 1.08–6.75 μg/g for Cr, respectively. When assuming a 100% transfer of these metals, the calculated lifetime cancer risk was found ‘unacceptable’ in 33 out of 35 tobacco samples which exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) benchmark of an ‘acceptable’ cancer risk range of 10E-4 to 10E-6. Our study demonstrated higher levels of Pb, Cd, and Cr in various tobacco products of Bangladesh compared to GOTHIATEK standard. This study shows the need for the development of industry standards and regulation for tobacco products to reduce the levels of heavy metals.