Arsenic is a toxic metalloid naturally found in the earth’s crust and released into the environment through natural and anthropogenic activities. Arsenic becomes exceptionally toxic even at low exposure levels because of its high water solubility and bioaccumulation tendency in different environmental matrices. Crops receiving arsenic-contaminated irrigation water accumulate it in different degrees depending on the species and variety. Consumption of contaminated crops and drinking water has been identified as an important route for its transfer into the food chain. Besides, consuming seafood and livestock-based food products such as meat and milk from arsenic endemic regions also contributes to food chain transfer and contamination. The literature clearly indicates that the toxic effect of arsenic in any food product is highly dependent on its chemical speciation. Inorganic arsenic compounds are generally more toxic than organic forms. On consumption of contaminated food products and water, only the bioavailable form of arsenic goes directly into the human body and interferes with different metabolic pathways. Thus, prolonged arsenic toxicity leads to carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks such as arsenicosis, cancers, hepatotoxicity, kidney failure, and skin diseases. Therefore, this review highlights the distribution and mobility of arsenic in the soil-plant systems, its bioavailability in plant and livestock-based food products, arsenic transfer into the food chain, and human health risks. In the current state when arsenic has emerged as a worldwide threat, an integrated strategy is urgently required to combat arsenic contamination, mandating the creation of national and international action strategies for arsenic contamination mitigation.
Key words: Arsenic toxicity, Food chain contamination, Dietary exposure, Human health risk
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