Transformation and bioaccessibility of lead induced by steamed bread feed in the gastrointestinal tract

- Steamed bread reduced Pb bioaccessibility (BA) of Pb(NO3)2 and PbCO3 in the gastric phase.
- Steamed bread increased Pb BA of Pb(NO3)2 and PbCO3 in the intestinal phase.
- Steamed bread increased Pb BA of PbCO3-contaminated soil in the intestinal phase but decreased Pb BA in the gastric phase.
- Steamed bread increased Pb BA of Pb2+-contaminated soil in both gastric and intestinal phases.

Accidental ingestion of contaminated soil has been recognized as an important pathway of human exposure to lead (Pb), especially for children through hand-to-mouth activities. Intake of food following the soil ingestion may affect the bioaccessibility of Pb in the gastrointestinal tract. In this study, the effect of steamed bread on the transformation and subsequent bioaccessibility of Pb in two soils was determined by the physiologically based extraction test (PBET). Two compounds, Pb(NO3)2 and PbCO3, were included in the evaluation for comparison. In the gastric phase, Pb bioaccessibility decreased as the steamed bread increased due to the sorption of Pb on the undissolved steamed bread, especially in PbCO3, Pb bioaccessibility decreased from 95.03% to 85.40%. Whereas in the intestinal phase, Pb bioaccessibility increased from 1.85% to 5.66% and from 0.89% to 1.80% for Pb(NO3)2 and PbCO3, respectively. The increase was attributed to the transformation of formed Pb carbonates into soluble organic-Pb complexes induced by the dissolved steamed bread at neutral pH as indicated by MINTEQ modeling. For the PbCO3-contaminated soil, the change in Pb bioaccessibility in both gastric and intestinal phases behaved like that in the pure PbCO3 compound, the steamed bread increased the bioaccessibility of Pb in the intestinal phase, but the decreased bioaccessibility of Pb was observed in the gastric phase after the steamed bread was added. However, in the soil contaminated with free Pb2+ or sorbed Pb forms, the steamed bread increased the Pb bioaccessibility in both gastric and intestinal phases. This was probably due to the higher dissolved organic carbon induced transformation of sorbed Pb (Pb sorbed by Fe/Mn oxides) into soluble Pb-organic complex. Results from this study indicated that steamed bread had an influence on the Pb speciation transformation, correspondingly affecting Pb bioaccessibility in the gastrointestinal tract.