LEAD, CADMIUM AND MERCURY CONTENTS IN AVERAGE SPANISH MARKET BASKET DIETS FROM GALICIA, VALENCIA, ANDALUSIA AND MADRID

This study was undertaken in order to monitor the intake of lead, cadm ium and mercury in different geographical areas of Spain. The intakes of four populations were estimated from their habitual diets and compa red with the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) or the Accepta ble Daily Intake (ADI) to estimate the health risk of toxicity. Repres entative market basket diets from four areas, Galicia, Valencia, Andal ucia and Madrid, were collected and their contents of cadmium, lead an d mercury determined. The number of different foodstuffs used in each area (64, 67, 71 and 73) was based on the number of foods providing 95 % of the total energy intake. Data on the contribution of food groups to the total daily intake of heavy metals were also obtained. The dail y amounts of lead in the diets were between 37 and 521 mu g/day, the M adrid population having the highest average intake of this metal and e xceeding the PTWI, because of the vegetables and cereals consumed. The average total dietary cadmium intakes-provided mainly by fish includi ng crustacea and molluscs-were about 25-45% of the PTWI. The intake of mercury, which is mainly provided by the fish group (66-90%), was abo ut 9-17% of the PTWI.