Abstract

This study estimates the intake of arsenic, lead and cadmium by the adult population (aged 18–91) of Cuba. The food consumption indices were obtained through 24-h dietary recall surveys applied to 450 people between October 2020 and March 2021. The Estimated Dietary Intake (EDI) of t-As (54.6 μg/day), Pb (118.5 μg/day) and Cd (35.1 μg/day) complied with Cuban legislation but was higher than the EDI for Cd established by the CONTAM Panel. The Target Hazard Quotients for the three contaminants were: iAs (0.220), Pb (0.409) and Cd (0.424), making the value of the Total Target Hazard Quotient 1.05, which indicates potential health risks for the population. Additionally, associated carcinogenic risks were: iAs (1.0·10−4), Pb (7.2·10−4) and Cd (25.9·10−4). Therefore, 10, 72 and 259 persons per 100,000 inhabitants are likely prone to developing cancer due to the ingestion of iAs, Pb and Cd, respectively.