Journal
FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
Volume 102, Issue -, Pages 234-245Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2017.09.079
Keywords
Harmful algal bloom; Food safety; Food quality; Crop productivity; Human health risk
Categories
Funding
- Ohio Department of Higher Education [GRT00038241]
- Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center at the Ohio State University
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Microcystin (MC), a hepatotoxin that can adversely affect human health, has become more prevalent in freshwater ecosystems worldwide, owing to an increase in toxic cyanobacteria blooms. While consumption of water and fish are well-documented exposure pathways of MCs to humans, less is known about the potential transfer to humans through consumption of vegetables that have been irrigated with MC-contaminated water. Likewise, the impact of MC on the performance of food crops is understudied. To help fill these information gaps, we conducted a controlled laboratory experiment in which we exposed lettuce, carrots, and green beans to environmentally relevant concentrations of MC-LR (0, 1, 5, and 10 mu g/L) via two irrigation methods (drip and spray). We used ELISA and LC-MS/MS to quantify MC-LR concentrations and in different parts of the plant (edible vs. inedible fractions), measured plant performance (e.g., size, mass, edible leaves, color), and calculated human exposure risk based on accumulation patterns. MC-LR accumulation was positively dose-dependent, with it being greater in the plants (2.2-209.2 mu g/kg) than in soil (0-49.4 mu g/kg). MC-LR accumulation varied among vegetable types, between plant parts, and between irrigation methods. MC-LB. accumulation led to reduced crop growth and quality, with MC-LR persisting in the soil after harvest. Observed toxin accumulation patterns in edible fractions of plants also led to estimates of daily MC-LR intake that exceeded both the chronic reference dose (0.003 mu g/kg of body weight) and total daily intake guidelines (0.04 mu g/kg of body weight). Because the use of MC-contaminated water is common in many parts of the world, our collective findings highlight the need for guidelines concerning the use of MC-contaminated water in irrigation, as well as consumption of these crops.
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