Algae are known to accumulate high concentrations of arsenic in different forms as inorganic or organic molecules called arsenic species. This study reports the water-soluble arsenic species in seven brown macroalgae collected from Mosquito Bay, New South Wales, Australia, during autumn 2021. The algae thalli were sectioned into four parts, i.e., holdfast, old stipe, young stipe, and blade. The total arsenic concentration and water-soluble arsenic species were measured using HPLC–ICPMS. Results indicated that arsenic concentration significantly differs between algae taxa (F6.14 = 689, p < 0.05). Arsenic was not uniformly distributed within the thallus of individual algae. Lower parts (holdfast and old stipe) tended to have lower arsenic concentration than upper parts (young stipe and blade). Two-factor ANOVA of arsenic concentrations found a significant interaction between algae taxa and thallus section (F1,21 = 617, p < 0.05). The main arsenic species in all samples were arsenoribosides, followed by AsV and methylated arsenic. Of the four As-sugars in the samples, phosphate (PO4) As-sugars were the dominant form. Monomethylarsonic acid (MA) was detected at low concentrations in all samples. Understanding the total concentration and speciation related to the uptake, fate, and forms of arsenic in marine macroalgae is critical to understanding human health risks from direct consumption. The risk of the measured inorganic arsenic in the algae taxa for human consumption was calculated using the target hazard quotient (THQ) and carcinogenic risk (CR). Values for THQ were below 1 and CR between 1 × 10−6 and 1 × 10−4 for all samples, indicating the low risk associated with seaweed consumption from the bay.

Benzophenone (BP) and its derivatives are extensively used as UV filters in numerous consumer goods, raising significant concern regarding their potential health risks and environmental contamination. This study sought to evaluate the urinary concentrations of BPs within the general Taiwanese population, investigate the association between internal BP exposure levels and frequency of dietary intake, and assess the resultant health risks. A total of 706 urine samples were obtained from participants in the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan. Quantification of urinary BPs was performed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The median concentrations observed were 2.72 µg/g creatinine (cre.) for BP, 15.17 µg/g cre. for BP-1, and 16.17 µg/g cre. for BP-3, respectively. Adults aged 19–64 years exhibited the highest BP levels and detection frequencies. Statistically significant positive correlations emerged between BP levels and intake of grains, bread, and dairy products within the 19–64 years group adults. In contrast, among children aged 6–11 years, higher BP concentrations were notably linked to meat consumption. Health risk assessment, based on estimated daily BP intake levels, indicated that BP exposure across all age groups remained substantially below the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) established reference dose of 30 μg/kg-bw/day, thereby indicating a low likelihood of adverse health effects. Nonetheless, further investigation is warranted to elucidate additional exposure sources contributing to BPs exposure.

The aim of this study was to estimate the Portuguese population’s baseline exposure to methyl and inorganic mercury by a harmonised total diet study (TDS) methodology and the risk of exceeding the Tolerable Weekly Intake (TWI). TDS food samples representative of the whole diet of the population were prepared as consumed, and analysed for total mercury. European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) conservative approach was used to estimate methylmercury and inorganic mercury and exposure was estimated using Monte Carlo Risk Assessment (MCRA) software. Mean, median and P95 exposure of the overall population (18 to 74 years old) to methylmercury and to inorganic mercury were 1.25, 0.01 and 5.45 µg/kg bw/week, and 0.37, 0.15 and 1.27 µg/kg bw/week, respectively. The percentage of individuals exceeding TWI was 27.6 for methylmercury and 3.5 for inorganic mercury. Regarding childbearing age women (18 to 45 years old), methylmercury mean exposure was 1.13 µg/kg bw/week with 25% of women exceeding the TWI. Cod and hake were the main contributors to mercury intake.

A novel approach to assess exposure to synthetic pyrethroids includes the use of silicone wristbands (WBs). In this pilot study completed on (n = 24) volunteers, comprising a week-long sampling period, paired urine samples (metabolites), and WBs (native compounds) were analyzed. This study employed a newly developed method for the determination of six pyrethroids in WBs. Permethrin was the most frequently detected compound (58.3%) in WBs and its geometric mean concentration was 79.64 ng/g. The most frequently detected metabolite in urine was 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) (68.06%). The geometric mean concentrations of urinary pyrethroid biomarkers varied from 0.21 ng/mL for 3-PBA to 0.08 ng/mL for cis-3-(2,2-dibromovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (DBCA). Higher concentrations of urinary metabolites (3-PBA, DBCA, cis-DCCA, and trans-DCCA) and permethrin in WBs were detected in study participants who reported pest control in occupied buildings within the last 5 years. The concentrations of 3-PBA, cis-DCCA, trans-DCCA, and permethrin were greater among people using insecticides in their homes. Both the ownership of pets and the use of antiparasitic veterinary drugs also resulted in significantly higher concentrations of metabolites in urine and permethrin in WBs. Silicone wristbands turned out to be a promising tool that may supplement qualitative and quantitative assessment of external exposure and the detection of key sources of pyrethroids in a minimally invasive way. Although our study is only a pilot one with a small number of participants, both urine analysis and wristbands independently allowed for the identification of the same exposure predictors, thereby documenting a certain potential for the practical application of WBs in exposure assessment.