Arsenic is one of the best known toxic elements. The fact that traces of this element can be found in the rice we consume sounds more alarming than it really is: today only very high consumption of this food could involve health risks. The problem is that this can change in the future.
Growing concentrations. A new study has pointed out that the increase in temperatures and carbon dioxide concentrations (CO2) in the atmosphere can favor the absorption of arsenic in rice crops. This would translate into a greater presence of the element in the dishes elaborated from this cereal.
A change whose impact could be significant around 2050. This increase in arsenic concentration could especially affect the population in Asia, where rice represents a higher portion of the food consumed.
“Our results suggest that this increase in arsenic levels could significantly raise the incidence of heart disease, diabetes, and (cause) other non -carcinogenic effects,” he said In a press release Lewis Ziskka, co -author of the study.
The risk of arsenic. Arsenic is considered a heavy metal despite chemically belonging to the semimetal group. He Risk level which implies its presence depends on several factors, for example on the fact of the molecular structure in which it occurs (its organic structures are less dangerous than the inorganic ones). And, of course, it depends on the dose.
The risk posed by this element has to do with its accumulation in our body. Its presence can lead to problems in development among the youngest, and in adults it has been related to skin disorders, bladder and cancer of lung.
28 Rice varieties. The team responsible for the study analyzed the effects on the rice of an average increase of 2º Celsius at the temperature and the associated increase of atmospheric CO2. Did it in 28 varieties of this cereal, modeling the evolution of its inorganic arsenic content over 10 years. From there, the team estimated the health impacts that this accumulation could produce in the populations of seven Asian countries around 2050.
The result: a drastic increase in cancer cases and especially the cases of bladder cancer. Among the countries studied, China would stand out, which could see more than 13 million new cases of cancer associated with arsenic exposure.
The details of the study were published In an article In the magazine The Lancet Planetary Health.
Not everything is lost. In its study, the team raises some possible adaptation measures dedicated to reducing the future impacts of this problem. The team suggests hybridar varieties of plants to favor those that absorb less, introduce improvements in soil management in rice fields, and improve food processing practices.
They also propose consumer -centered measures: education and minitor, they explain, they could play an important role in reducing the impacts of this growing presence of arsenic. The occasional alerts we receive regarding arsenic levels in rice could make this more difficult, by turning this problem into a “Pedro and the Wolf story”: a non -existent problem that we pay attention today could become a real problem that we ignore in the future.
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Image | Shayan Ghiasvand
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