Measuring quantities of trace elements and probabilistic health risk assessment in fruit juices (traditional and commercial) marketed in Iran

The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentration of trace elements in 150 samples of fruit juices (traditional and commercial) and the determination of non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks. We used from inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) to assess the element of concentration in the samples after microwave digestion (Ethos Up Mileston) process. The highest mean concentration was 273.8 +/- 2.4 mu g/L is related to Cu in traditional juice samples (Pomegranate) and the lowest was 0.3 mu g/L is related to Cr in commercial juice samples (Grape). Heat-map analysis was also carried out for the clustering of trace elements. The Monte-Carlo simulation results revealed that the trend of target hazard quotient (THQ) for metals in all samples was Pb > Hg > Cd > As > Ni. The concentration of toxic elements in juice samples was sufficiently low, and all of the juices sold in Tehran were safe for consumers, but their presence in these juices cannot be neglected as long-term exposure can significantly influence human health risks.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the concentration of trace elements in 150 fruit juice samples and assessed the potential non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks. The results showed that the concentration of toxic elements in the juice samples was low, but long-term exposure could have significant health implications.