Recent advances in environmental risk assessment of transformation products

When micropollutants degrade in the environment, they may form persistent and toxic transformation products, which should be accounted for in the environmental risk assessment of the parent compounds. Transformation products have become a topic of interest not only with regard to their formation in the environment, but also during advanced water treatment processes, where disinfection byproducts can form from benign precursors. In addition, environmental risk assessment of human and veterinary pharmaceuticals requires inclusion of human metabolites as most pharmaceuticals are not excreted into wastewater in their original form, but are extensively metabolized. All three areas have developed their independent approaches to assess the risk associated with transformation product formation including hazard identification, exposure assessment, hazard assessment including dose-response characterization, and risk characterization. This review provides an overview and defines a link among those areas, emphasizing commonalities and encouraging a common approach. We distinguish among approaches to assess transformation products of individual pollutants that are undergoing a particular transformation process, e.g., biotransformation or (photo)oxidation, and approaches with the goal of prioritizing transformation products in terms of their contribution to environmental risk. We classify existing approaches for transformation product assessment in degradation studies as exposure- or effect-driven. In the exposure-driven approach, transformation products are identified and quantified by chemical analysis followed by effect assessment. In the effect-driven approach, a reaction mixture undergoes toxicity testing. If the decrease in toxicity parallels the decrease of parent compound concentration, the transformation products are considered to be irrelevant, and only when toxicity increases or the decrease is not proportional to the parent compound concentration are the TPs identified. For prioritization of transformation products in terms of their contribution to overall environmental risk, we integrate existing research into a coherent model-based, risk-driven framework. In the proposed framework, read-across from data of the parent compound to the transformation products is emphasized, but limitations to this approach are also discussed. Most prominently, we demonstrate how effect data for parent compounds can be used in combination with analysis of toxicophore structures and bioconcentration potential to facilitate transformation product effect assessment.     

食品化学物风险评估中一些重要参数的选择和使用

食品安全风险评估是我国制定、修订食品安全标准、实施食品安全监督管理的科学依据,评估结果的准确性和可靠性将直接影响食品安全监管决策的科学性。评估方法、统计学参数、模型构建和健康指导值是影响评估结果的几个重要因素,而对这些因素的选择和使用往往存在模糊认识和误区。本文主要针对食品中化学物的风险评估,对上述几个参数的选择和使用进行探讨。     

Transfer of chemicals from feed to animal products: The use of transfer factors in risk assessment

The human risk assessment of feed contaminants has often been hampered by a lack of knowledge concerning their behaviour when consumed by livestock. To gain a better understanding of the transfer of contaminants from animal feed to animal products, a meta-analysis of public literature was made. Data concerning feed contaminant concentrations, feeding periods, residue levels in animal products, and other parameters were gathered and recorded. For each case a 'transfer factor', which was defined as the ratio of the concentration of a chemical in an animal product to the concentration of the chemical in animal feed, was calculated. Scientifically founded transfer factors were calculated and analysed for groups of chemicals based on their contaminant classes or physicochemical properties. These database-derived transfer factors enable a more accurate risk assessment in the case of a feed contamination, and enable rapid risk management decision-making and/or intervention.     

食品中化学物累积风险评估方法及应用

食品中存在的各种污染物、农药和添加剂等化学物可能会通过多种机制的联合作用对人体形成累积暴露,但传统的风险评估方法多以单一化学物暴露为基础。近年来,化学物累积暴露形成的健康风险受到越来越多的重视,一些累积风险评估方法,如类别每日可耐受摄入量(TDI)、危害指数(HI)、相对效能因子(RPF)、生理毒代动力学(PBTK)模型等也逐渐发展起来。本文对这些方法的特点及其应用进行了讨论。     

Indicators for the exposure assessment of transformation products of organic micropollutants

Environmental transformation products of organic micropollutants have the potential to be similarly or even more mobile, persistent, ortoxic than their parent compounds. They should, therefore, be included in chemical hazard and risk assessment procedures as well as in the assessment of soil and water quality. To fulfill this requirement most efficiently, screening approaches that select relevant transformation products for detailed assessment are needed. This paper presents two process-based multimedia, multispecies models that allow us to quantitatively estimate the environmental fate of transformation products. The resulting exposure patterns are assessed with two indicators: joint persistence (JP), which describes the temporal extent of environmental exposure to a parent compound and its transformation products, and the predicted relative aquatic concentrations (RAC), which estimate the relative concentrations of parent compounds and their transformation products in surface water bodies. As a case study, JP and RAC are calculated for 16 pesticides and their relevant transformation products. The results for the JP indicator confirm the importance of considering transformation products in the assessment of overall persistence; for example, in the context of PBT assessments. Comparison of RAC results with monitoring data on herbicides and their transformation products shows the suitability of our approach for estimating relative concentrations in surface water, and as a consequence, its usefulness in identifying transformation products for future water quality monitoring programs. Transformation products of triketones and other highly used acidic herbicides are specifically identified as targets.     

Bayesian and time-independent species sensitivity distributions for risk assessment of chemicals

Species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) are increasingly used to analyze toxicity data but have been criticized for a lack of consistency in data inputs, lack of relevance to the real environment, and a lack of transparency in implementation. This paper shows how the Bayesian approach addresses concerns arising from frequentist SSD estimation. Bayesian methodologies are used to estimate SSDs and compare results obtained with time-dependent (LC50) and time-independent (predicted no observed effect concentration) endpoints for the insecticide chlorpyrifos. Uncertainty in the estimation of each SSD is obtained either in the form of a pointwise percentile confidence interval computed by bootstrap regression or an associated credible interval. We demonstrate that uncertainty in SSD estimation can be reduced by applying a Bayesian approach that incorporates expert knowledge and that use of Bayesian methodology permits estimation of an SSD that is more robust to variations in data. The results suggest that even with sparse data sets theoretical criticisms of the SSD approach can be overcome.     

熟肉制品中亚硝酸盐的风险评估方法的研究

利用风险评估理论,结合某市熟肉制品种类,通过动物实验及其结果分析,确定亚硝酸盐危害,研究建立熟肉制品中亚硝酸盐风险评估模型.为促进食品安全,保护消费者健康及有关部门进行食品安全的风险管理提供依据.     

深圳市面粉与面制品中偶氮甲酰胺及其转化产物膳食暴露评估

目的了解深圳市居民面粉与面制品中偶氮甲酰胺及其分解转化产物联二脲、氨基脲的含量水平,获得深圳市致癌致畸物氨基脲的居民膳食暴露水平。方法 2016年在深圳市超市、批发市场、农贸市场等共采集500份面粉及面制品,监测偶氮甲酰胺及其分解转化产物联二脲、氨基脲的含量。并结合深圳市居民膳食调查食物消费量计算深圳市居民面粉和面制品中氨基脲的暴露量。结果所采集的500份样品中:偶氮甲酰胺、联二脲、氨基脲的检出率分别为4.60%、25.8%、18.6%,含量范围为0.500～93.4 mg/kg、10.0～13900μg/kg、0.250～1100μg/kg;氨基脲的一般水平暴露量与高水平暴露量分别为0.005μg/kg-bw/d与0.248μg/kg-bw/d。结论面粉及面制品中的氨基脲暴露已超过水产品中的暴露,应慎重使用偶氮甲酰胺作为食品添加剂在面粉及面制品中使用,同时加强对面粉及面制品中氨基脲的监测。     

Toward identification of the risk group of food products: Chemometric assessment of heavy metals content in confectionery products

ABSTRACT

The main raw material for cookies production is wheat flour (white or wholemeal/integral) as a nutritionally highly valuable component. In addition to the benefits it brings, this raw material is also a potential source of contamination with residues of heavy metals originating from soil and plant protection agents. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze their concentrations in both wheat flour and final products, since the wheat flour is often present in cookies and related confectionery products in a proportion >60 or 70%. The aim of this paper was to determine the content of heavy metals, including highly toxic ones (As, Cd, Hg and Pb) and essential metals with potential toxic effects (Fe, Cu, Cr, Co, Mn, Ni, Zn) in cookies, waffles and crackers available in local markets in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia. The present study is focused on chemometric estimation of the risk group of confectionery products containing wheat flour in an easy and efficient way. Hierarchical cluster analysis, principal component analysis, linear discriminant analysis and the sum of ranking differences analysis were applied for this purpose as chemometric tools with substantially different theoretical bases. The obtained results indicated that there is a specific group of cookies with a relatively high content of heavy metals. The group of crackers contained lower concentrations of heavy metals than the other groups of studied products. The results of the sum of ranking differences analysis indicate that there is no strict separation between the samples regarding the ratio among heavy metals contents.     

水产品中丁香酚的残留风险评估研究进展

水产品质量安全与人们的日常生活息息相关。随着高密度养殖渔业的发展,水产品受到不同程度的药物污染,其中麻醉剂残留问题已经得到人们越来越多的关注。丁香酚是水产养殖业中广泛使用的一种麻醉剂。丁香酚作用于水产品后,不仅起到麻醉效果,同时也会在水产品体内蓄积,影响到水产品的食用安全。目前国内对丁香酚在水产品中残留的风险评估仍显不足。本文从危害识别、危害特征描述、暴露评估和风险特征描述方面综述了丁香酚在水产品中残留的风险评估研究进展,以期为水产品的质量安全监管提供依据。     

猪肉及其制品中非伤寒沙门菌定量风险评估研究进展

非伤寒沙门菌是全球重要的食源性致病菌之一,主要通过污染的畜禽食品感染人类。本文综述了国外猪肉及其制品中非伤寒沙门菌定量风险评估研究现状,重点解析常用模型,并分析我国猪肉中非伤寒沙门菌定量风险评估目前存在的挑战,以期为进一步开展相关风险评估提供参考依据。     

GIS-based system for surface water risk assessment of agricultural chemicals. 1. Methodological approach

A methodology to develop a GIS-based system for the surface water risk assessment of agricultural chemicals is described. It is based on the integration of relational and spatial databases, GIS incorporating raster and vector, mass balance models, and pesticide risks indicators. Surface water pollution was modeled by taking into account two main processes: the load due to drift and the load due to a rainfall-runoff event. The former is immediately consequent to pesticide application; the second occurs a short period afterward. Thus two distinct PEC (predicted environmental concentration) values were estimated, differing in time. A pilot approach was applied to the herbicide alachlor on corn in Lombardia region (northern Italy) and represents the first stage of a wider project. Although the resultant alachlor PEC and risk maps represent a static image of a worst-case simulation, the main objective was to provide information for the territory with respect to relative risks at the watershed level, which is important in managing risks to the aquatic environment. The driving forces and spatial variability of the above-mentioned processes were investigated to improve knowledge about the territory and to indicate the need for more detailed site-specific studies.     

我国食品接触用不锈钢制品中金属元素迁移理论风险评估

目的 建立推导食品接触材料来源的危害因素可接受暴露水平的方法,并评估食品接触用不锈钢制品中5种金属元素迁移的理论暴露水平及潜在健康风险,对我国现行标准的适宜性进行评价。方法 参考国际上饮用水中化学污染物、金属制品来源的金属元素,以及食品接触材料来源的污染物可接受暴露水平的分配原则,综合考虑金属元素的膳食暴露水平和毒理学数据,确定我国居民不锈钢制品来源的金属元素的可接受暴露水平。假定每天摄入1 kg由不锈钢制品盛放的食品,利用GB 4806.9—2016《食品安全国家标准 食品接触用金属材料及制品》中规定的不锈钢制品中铅、镉、砷、铬、镍元素的特定迁移限量,估计5种金属元素迁移的理论暴露水平,并依据推导的可接受暴露水平评估不锈钢制品中金属元素迁移的健康风险。结果 食品接触用不锈钢制品中铅、镉、砷、铬和镍的可接受暴露水平分别为0.06（铅儿童）、0.13（铅成人）、0.08、0.30、60.00和2.40 μg/kg·BW。食品接触用不锈钢制品来源的铅和砷的理论暴露水平分别为2.50（铅儿童）、0.83（铅成人）和0.67 μg/kg·BW,暴露限值分别为0.02（铅儿童）、0.16（铅成人）和0.45,远低于1。镉、铬和镍的理论暴露水平分别为0.33、33.33和8.33 μg/kg·BW,分别为相应不锈钢制品来源的可接受暴露水平的400.12%、55.56%和347.22%。结论 在我国现行标准下,根据理论暴露结果,铬元素迁移导致的风险较低,镉、镍、铅和砷迁移导致的健康风险相对较高,建议开展基于实际迁移水平的风险评估,为是否需要修订GB 4806.9—2016提供科学依据。     

茂名地区主要水产品汞含量分析与风险评估

目的：了解茂名地区主要水产品中汞污染的现状和水平,为水产品的质量监管和安全食用提供依据。方法：根据调查问卷选取广东省茂名市4个地区居民常食用的10种水产品为评估对象,采用原子荧光光谱法对样本进行总汞含量测定,采用单因子污染指数法、周均单位体重暴露量和目标危险系数法分别对其进行污染程度评估、膳食暴露评估和健康风险评估。结果：调查发现42.95%的居民对水产品中汞污染的危害认识不足;10种水产品总汞含量范围为ND～0.141 8 mg/kg,检出率为35.9%,金丝鱼样品的总汞检出率和含量明显高于其他的海产品;39个样品中有38个样品的总汞污染指数P_i＜0.2;总汞的周均单位体重暴露量为0.090 9 μg/（kg·BW）,占每周耐受摄入量的2.273%;水产品中总汞的目标危险系数均小于1,平均目标危险系数为0.13。结论：总体上茂名地区10种水产品总汞含量均未超过国家规定的限量标准,汞污染程度处于安全水平,潜在的健康风险较低,可以安全食用。     

Principles for the risk assessment of genetically modified microorganisms and their food products in the European Union

Genetically modified microorganisms (GMMs) are involved in the production of a variety of food and feed. The release and consumption of these products can raise questions about health and environmental safety. Therefore, the European Union has different legislative instruments in place in order to ensure the safety of such products. A key requirement is to conduct a scientific risk assessment as a prerequisite for the product to be placed on the market. This risk assessment is performed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), through its Scientific Panels. The EFSA Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms has published complete and comprehensive guidance for the risk assessment of GMMs and their products for food and/or feed use, in which the strategy and the criteria to conduct the assessment are explained, as well as the scientific data to be provided in applications for regulated products. This Guidance follows the main risk assessment principles developed by various international organisations ( and ). The assessment considers two aspects: the characterisation of the GMM and the possible effects of its modification with respect to safety, and the safety of the product itself. Due to the existing diversity of GMMs and their products, a categorisation is recommended to optimise the assessment and to determine the extent of the required data. The assessment starts with a comprehensive characterisation of the GMM, covering the recipient/parental organism, the donor(s) of the genetic material, the genetic modification, and the final GMM and its phenotype. Evaluation of the composition, potential toxicity and/or allergenicity, nutritional value and environmental impact of the product constitute further cornerstones of the process. The outcome of the assessment is reflected in a scientific opinion which indicates whether the product raises any safety issues. This opinion is taken into account by the different European regulatory authorities prior to a decision regarding authorisation to commercialise the product.     

丁香酚在水产品中的残留及风险评估研究进展

受我国南北气候、地理环境和养殖条件的限制,鲜活水产品为满足不同市场的需求,需要经过长途运输。而运输过程中鲜活水产品受应激胁迫、机体受伤感染、水质恶化等因素影响,不仅引起水产品存活率降低,而且造成产品质量下降。丁香酚有较强的麻醉作用,广泛应用于口腔牙科麻醉,现也作为渔用麻醉剂应用到鲜活水产品运输过程中。虽然我国逐渐开展丁香酚应用、残留检测、风险评估等方面的研究,但关于水产品中麻醉剂丁香酚从应用到残留风险评估的综合性研究综述较少。本文旨在通过对丁香酚国内外标准规定、使用现状、麻醉机理和应用、残留检测方法、残留风险评估以及前景展望等方面进行说明和探讨,以期为我国丁香酚在水产养殖运输环节中的合理使用提供依据和参考。     

Toxic elements in eggs and egg-based products: occurrence,exposure assessment and risk characterisation for the Serbian population

This study aimed to assess the exposure of the Serbian adult population to As, Cd, Pb and Hg through the consumption of eggs and egg-based products and to assess health risks. Coccidiostat residues were also examined, and their contribution to acceptable daily intake was calculated. Egg samples were collected from 2018 to 2020. The consumption survey was conducted during 2020. A Monte Carlo simulation was performed to estimate the intake of toxic elements based on one-day and seven-day recalls of egg consumption. The results obtained showed that the adult population in Serbia is not exposed to health risks from the studied toxic elements when consuming eggs and egg-based products. The presence of anticoccidial agents was detected in 22% of egg samples at concentrations above the limits prescribed by current regulations in Serbia (which do not allow detectable levels of coccidiostats in eggs), with the main risk of exposure being to coccidiostat residues associated with maduramycin.