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This case study describes how basic research to develop analytical methodologies for measuring inorganic arsenic in food, and its subsequent application to rice and rice-based food commodities, led directly to proposals to establish global agreements describing the maximum permissible level of a class I carcinogen, inorganic arsenic, in rice. The impact of the research conducted in Aberdeen is still to be fully developed, but as a result of our research has been identified as absolutely pivotal by food standards agencies in China, USA, the UK, and the European Union, in leading to policy decisions and changes to established practice amongst policy makers under the leadership of the Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the UN and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Research by Professor Andrew Meharg at the University of Aberdeen was the first to show that rice constituted the major source of dietary exposure to inorganic arsenic, a class 1, non-threshold carcinogen, meaning that there is no dose that is risk-free. This research directly led to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) undertaking a major review of arsenic in foods. The EU, USA and WHO lack standards for arsenic in food, but all three are now actively seeking to set standards. Subsequent to the Aberdeen studies, the WHO withdrew its standard for arsenic Provisional Tolerable Daily Intake, considering it too high. Also, as a direct result of this work, the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued warnings that children under 4 should avoid rice milks because of their inorganic arsenic content.
Therefore claimed impacts are: affected health and welfare; enhanced awareness of health risks, altered dietary guidelines and changes to public and international policies and guidelines.
A Queen's University team led by Bhaskar Sen Gupta installed the world's first chemical free water treatment plant in the arsenic belt of India to benefit rural people living on per capita income of less than 1 US$ a day. With nine facilities in India, Cambodia and Malaysia, more than 13,000 people are receiving their water supply from Subterranean Arsenic Removal (SAR) plants (www.insituarsenic.org). Many villagers who started using clean water from the community plants in 2008 have shown significant signs of recovery from chronic arsenicosis.
Groundwater directly supplies around 30% of the UK's water demand, and significantly more through discharges to rivers. Much effort is expended by regulators and water companies in protecting this essential resource from over-exploitation and pollution, thus protecting both water resources and ecosystem services. Our research has directly contributed to the knowledge, understanding and data that underpin the Environment Agency's management strategies for two aquifers in particular — the Birmingham and Liverpool/Manchester aquifers. Research on these aquifers alone has had a significant and verifiable social and economic impact on protecting and preserving water supplies serving 1.5m people. These water resources are valued in terms of replacement at between £0.4 and £1.1 billion, and are annually worth about £140M. Our research findings have also been directly used by water companies in their utilisation of these aquifers, as is evident in the recent development of major public supply-well schemes under Severn Trent Water's Birmingham Resilience Strategy.