Arsenic is a toxic metalloid of global concern. It usually originates geogenically but can be intensified by human activities such as applications of pesticides and wood preservatives, mining and smelting operations, and coal combustion. Arsenic-contaminated food is a widespread problem worldwide. Data derived from population-based studies, clinical case series, and case reports relating to ingestion of inorganic arsenic in drinking water, medications, or contaminated food or beverages show the capacity of arsenate and arsenite to adversely affect multiple organ systems. Chronic arsenic poisoning can cause serious health effects including cancers, melanosis (hyperpigmentation or dark spots, and hypopigmentation or white spots), hyperkeratosis (hardened skin), restrictive lung disease, peripheral vascular disease (blackfoot disease), gangrene, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and ischemic heart disease.

Hunger and thirst have distinct goals but control similar ingestive behaviors, and little is known about neural processes that are shared between these behavioral states. We identify glutamatergic neurons in the peri-locus coeruleus (periLCⱽᴳᴸᵁᵀ² neurons) as a polysynaptic convergence node from separate energy-sensitive and hydration-sensitive cell populations. We develop methods for stable hindbrain calcium imaging in free-moving mice, which show that periLCⱽᴳᴸᵁᵀ² neurons are tuned to ingestive behaviors and respond similarly to food or water consumption. PeriLCⱽᴳᴸᵁᵀ² neurons are scalably inhibited by palatability and homeostatic need during consumption. Inhibition of periLCⱽᴳᴸᵁᵀ² neurons is rewarding and increases consumption by enhancing palatability and prolonging ingestion duration. These properties comprise a double-negative feedback relationship that sustains food or water consumption without affecting food- or water-seeking. PeriLCⱽᴳᴸᵁᵀ² neurons are a hub between hunger and thirst that specifically controls motivation for food and water ingestion, which is a factor that contributes to hedonic overeating and obesity.

PURPOSE: Consuming 375–500 ml of water 30 min before a meal has been shown to reduce energy intake in older, but not younger adults. This study investigated the effects of ingesting a water preload immediately pre-meal (<1 min before eating) on within-meal ad libitum energy intake in non-obese young males. METHODS: Fourteen healthy males [mean (SD) age 27 (3) years, height 1.83 (0.05) m, body weight 80.47 (9.89) kg, body fat 17.5 (4.0) %, body mass index 24.0 (2.5) kg/m²] completed a familiarisation trial and two experimental trials in randomised counterbalanced order. Subjects arrived at the laboratory overnight fasted and consumed an ad libitum porridge breakfast. Immediately prior to the meal, subjects consumed either a 568 ml (1 pint) water preload (preload trial) or no preload (control trial). Visual analogue scale questionnaires to assess hunger, fullness and satisfaction were completed before and after the meal in both trials, as well as after the water preload. RESULTS: Ad libitum energy intake was greater (P < 0.001) during control [2551 (562) kJ] than preload [1967 (454) kJ]. Ad libitum water intake was also greater (P < 0.001) during control [318 (226–975) ml] than preload [116 (0–581) ml]. The water preload increased fullness and satisfaction and decreased hunger compared to pre-trial (P < 0.001) and the control trial (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that consumption of a 568 ml water preload immediately before a meal reduces energy intake in non-obese young males. This might therefore be an effective strategy to suppress energy intake in this population and possibly assist with weight management.

In recent years, the incidence of dental erosion caused by the ingestion of acidic foods and drinks, including sports drinks, has been increasing in Japan and elsewhere. Therefore, the problems associated with this injury can no longer be ignored in dental clinical practice. The ingestion of these foods and drinks is important from the viewpoint of overall health and disease prevention. For example, fermented foods, such as Japanese pickles, enhance the nutritional value of foodstuffs and promote the absorption of nutrients into the body, and sports drinks are useful for preventing heat stroke and dehydration. Therefore, eliminating these intakes is not a viable solution. In this paper, we outline the mechanism of dental erosion caused by acidic beverages and also describe the effectiveness of alkaline ionized water (AIW) at preventing acid erosion. Given the fact that the complete elimination of acidic beverage consumption is highly unlikely, remedies such as the use of alkaline ionized water (AIW) may be helpful.

Despite the established presence of microplastics in consumable products and inhalable air and the associated health hazards, the actual extent of human exposure to microplastics is currently unknown. We estimated exposure to microplastics through 24-h composite sampling of drinking water, cooked food, and respirable air. Daily average exposures of 382 ± 205, 594 ± 269, and 1036 ± 493 particles per person were observed through drinking water, air, and food, respectively. Our estimates suggest an average daily exposure of 2012 ± 598 microplastic particles per person via these dominant routes. Considering the variety of common consumer plastics, the plastic intake was calculated to be 122.25 ± 177.38 to 202.80 ± 294.25 mg per person per day. Food ingestion was observed to be the major pathway, with fragments as the dominant particle type, followed by fibers and spherical beads. The major polymers identified in the food samples were polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polynorbornene, nylon, polychloroprene, and copolymer polyacrylamide. These results provide a realistic estimate of urban exposure to microplastics and may be helpful in their risk characterization.

We collected water samples from contaminated Buddha Nullah drain in Ludhiana district of Punjab (India) during pre- and post-monsoon seasons of the year 2017 and 2018. The soil and plant (wheat and rice) samples were also taken from fields cultivated near the water sampling sites. The drain is mainly contaminated by discharge of industrial and urban effluents from the surrounding areas and its confluence with Sutlej River (a tributary of the Indus River). Water samples were analysed for nine metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn). Soil, rice and wheat grain samples were analysed for total metals. Besides this, soil samples were also analysed for and DTPA-extractable metals. The concentration of Cr, Pb and Fe in water exceeded the WHO guidelines during all the seasons. Total Zn, Pb, Mn, Ni and Co concentration in soils exceeded the permissible limits, whereas the average concentration of Fe, Pb, Co and Cd in rice and wheat grains exceeded the permissible limits. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) for DTPA-extractable heavy metals was in the order: Fe > Cr > Co > Zn > Pb > Cd > Mn > Cu > Ni (BAF values > 1 for all the metals). Heavy metal toxicity load values (HMTL) in water samples were lower than the tolerable toxicity load of heavy metals. However, heavy metal pollution index (HPI) was higher than 100 in all the water samples. Based on the grading of geoaccumulation Index (Igₑₒ), total Cd concentration showed extreme contamination around the soils of Buddha Nullah. The cancer risk associated with heavy metals due to intake of wheat and rice grains and ingestion of soils were in the order: Cd > Ni > Cr. Spatial distribution maps of HPI showed the maximum contamination and health risks were around the areas having higher industrial and urban activities These results suggest that heavy metals particularly Cd cause potential health risks to urban residents and environment. The HPI and HTML for water, Igeo for soils and BAF for plants are useful for assessing heavy metal contamination. The controlling measures must be taken to reduce the heavy metal contamination in the drain by checking of the urban and industrial effluents discharged in it and cleaning of the Buddha Nullah drain should be initiated to improve the water quality of Sutlej River.

The high intake of dietary sodium (Na⁺) has been associated with obesity and insulin resistance, sparking the hypothesis that the consumption of salty foods affects food intake (FI) and postprandial blood glucose (BG) response. Therefore, we conducted 2 randomized repeated-measures experiments to examine the acute effects of the Na⁺ content of solid food and beverage on FI, water intake (WI), subjective appetite, thirst, and BG. FI and WI were measured at ad libitum pizza test meals; appetite, thirst, and BG were measured at baseline and at regular intervals before and after meals. In the first experiment, 16 males (mean body mass index (BMI), 22.2 kg·m⁻²) consumed a low-Na⁺ (71 mg) bean preload (300 kcal) with or without 740 mg or 1480 mg of added Na⁺ 120 min prior to the pizza meal. Participants ate 116 kcal more at the test meal after consuming beans with 740 mg of added Na⁺ than after beans with 1480 mg of added Na⁺. In the second experiment, 19 males (mean BMI, 23.2 kg·m⁻²) consumed a low-Na⁺ (62 mg) tomato beverage (73 kcal) with or without 500, 1000, 1500, or 2000 mg of added Na⁺ 30 min prior to a pizza meal. The beverage with 2000 mg of added Na⁺ led to higher WI during the pizza meal than the beverage with 500 mg of added Na⁺. However, compared with the control conditions (no added Na⁺), added Na⁺ treatments had no effect on dependent measures in either experiment. In conclusion, the acute intake of Na⁺, in a solid or liquid form, did not affect short-term subjective ratings of appetite or thirst, ad libitum FI or WI, or BG in healthy young men.

Concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Ni) were measured in the foodstuffs, house dust, underground/drinking water, and soil from an electronic waste (e-waste) area in South China. Elevated concentrations of these potentially toxic metals were observed in the samples but not in drinking water. The health risks for metal exposure via food consumption, dust ingestion, and drinking water were evaluated for local residents. For the average residents in the e-waste area, the non-carcinogenic risks arise predominantly from rice (hazard index=3.3), vegetables (2.2), and house dust (1.9) for adults, while the risks for young children are dominated by house dust (15). Drinking water may provide a negligible contribution to risk. However, local residents who use groundwater as a water supply source are at high non-carcinogenic risk. The potential cancer risks from oral intake of Pb are 8×10−5 and 3×10−4 for average adults and children, and thus groundwater would have a great potential to induce cancer (5×10−4 and 1×10−3) in a highly exposed population. The results also reveal that the risk from oral exposure is much higher than the risk from inhalation and dermal contact with house dust.

Assessment of risk to infants and children resulting from the ingestion of contaminants in water is an important component of the analysis of possible environmental hazards. Children and infants represent a sensitive life stage because exposure to contaminants in early life can have developmental and long-lasting adverse effects. Children and infants tend to ingest relatively large amounts of water on a bodyweight-adjusted basis, especially those that are fed in early life with formula that is re-constituted or diluted with water. This article presents statistical estimates of the amounts of community water ingested by formula-fed infants based on nationwide sample survey data that support identification of respondents who consume formula and the amounts of water they ingest. Included are specific estimates of the amounts of community water ingested in formula. Estimates of total community water ingestion by children and infants who consume formula can be especially useful in exposure assessment since they represent a highly exposed population. For example, mean community water ingestion by infants 1 to 3 months of age who consume formula is 627 mL/day (136 mL/kg/day) and the 95th percentile is 1096 mL/day (290 mL/kg/day).

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