Paired soil and rice arsenic and cadmium from northeastern U.S. rice farms

Abstract

Abstract Arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) are two toxic elements found in rice (Oryza sativa L.) grain that pose threats to human health. While attention has focused on major rice‐growing regions, rice has been grown on small‐scale farms in the northeastern United States since approximately 2005, but the grain As and Cd levels were not previously reported. Unpolished grain from these farms have mean As of 0.12 mg kg−1 and mean Cd of 0.007 mg kg−1, more than 40% lower than previously reported in U.S. rice. Therefore, rice from these farms poses low risk for consumers.