Contamination by chemicals from the environment is a major global food safety issue, posing a serious threat to human health. These chemicals belong to many groups, including metals/metalloids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), persistent organic pollutants (POPs), perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs), radioactive elements, electronic waste, plastics, and nanoparticles. Some of these occur naturally in the environment, whilst others are produced from anthropogenic sources. They may contaminate our food—crops, livestock, and seafood—and drinking water and exert adverse effects on our health. It is important to perform assessments of the associated potential risks. Monitoring contamination levels, enactment of control measures including remediation, and consideration of sociopolitical implications are vital to provide safer food globally.

/pdf/environmental-chemical-contaminants-in-food-review-of-a-1jyvrr8zow.pdf

Environmental Chemical Contaminants in Food: Review of a Global Problem

Soil contamination near the Kabwe Pb-Zn smelter in Zambia: Environmental impacts and remediation measures proposal

Current trends of blood lead levels, distribution patterns and exposure variations among household members in Kabwe, Zambia

Oral bioaccessibility of metal(loid)s in dust materials from mining areas of northern Namibia.

Slag dusts from Kabwe (Zambia): Contaminant mineralogy and oral bioaccessibility.

https://zenodo.org/record/1040256/files/Bose-OReilly_et_al_2017_Environmental_Research_Manuscript.pdf

Joseph Makumba

Papers

Lead intoxicated children in Kabwe, Zambia.