Bioaccessibility and Bioavailability of Inorganic Contaminants in Soil.

Abstract

Incidental ingestion of soil is a common occurrence for young children, which can be dangerous in areas with elevated concentrations of toxic inorganic elements in soil. The bioaccessibility (amount of contaminated available for systemic absorption) or bioavailability (amount absorbed) of contaminants in soil can be used to refine risk assessments especially since inorganic contaminants from soil are often in insoluble forms. While lead and arsenic have been studied often in the past two decades, other commonly found inorganic contaminants such as mercury, chromium, copper, zinc, cadmium, and nickel have not been studied as much. Some of these elements, like mercury and chromium, occur in soil-borne forms that are very insoluble and there is a large gap in information regarding the absorption of these soil-borne elements by animals. This study will report on an in-vivo study using mice, in parallel with in-vitro research using three methods, with eight study materials containing a range of inorganic elements and concentrations thereof. Ultimately, the aim is to develop in-vitro methods that can produce statistically similar results to in vivo tests, so that the number of in vivo studies required in the future can be minimized.