Estimation of daily intake of arsenolipids in Japan based on a market basket survey

Arsenolipid concentrations were measured in 17 food composites prepared from 152 food items purchased in Shizuoka city, Japan, to (1) determine the food contributing to daily intake of arsenolipids, and (2) estimate the daily intake of arsenolipids. Analysis of arsenolipids was performed by high performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS/ESI-MS-MS). Arsenic containing hydrocarbons (AsHCs), arsenic containing fatty acids (AsFAs), and arsenosugar phospholipids (AsSugPLs) were detected only in “algae” and “fish and shellfish” of the 17 food composites in a concentration range of 4.4-233 ng As/g fresh weight (fw). Two cytotoxic arsenolipids, AsHC332 and AsHC360, were detected in “algae” and “fish and shellfish” in the concentrations range of 33-40 ng As/g fw. The estimated average daily intake of AsHC332 and AsHC360 was ca 3000 and 360 ng As/person/day, or 50 and 6.0 ng As/kg bw/day, respectively. The present study indicated that arsenolipids from “algae” and “fish and shellfish” consumption contributed to the daily intake of toxic AsHCs, though the margin of exposure for the AsHC332 and AsHC360 does not appear to pose a health risk for the general Japanese population.