Trace element contamination and health risks in paper-based food packaging in Bangladesh
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Noakhali Science and Technology University
- 2Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
- 3Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka
- 4Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Carbon Sequestration and Pollution Control, Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology
- 5Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Abstract
The widespread use of non-food-grade paper for food packaging in developing countries poses an un-recognized public health threat, yet comprehensive assessments of trace element (TE) contamination in such materials remain scarce. This study analyzed 38 paper samples, including newspapers (light-, bold-, and photo-printed areas), magazines, and book papers, commonly used as food wrappers in Dhaka, Bangladesh, to quantify seven TEs (As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Cu, and Mn). Cu and Mn were the most abundant elements (upto 61.9 ppm and 31.7 ppm, respectively), while As, Pb, Cd, and Cr frequently exceeded international safety limits by factors of 2–100. Multivariate analyses revealed material-specific signatures: Newspaper bold-print with As/Pb from high-density inks; Newspaper photo with Cu from copper-phthalocyanine pigments; Magazine with Ni from nickel-based catalysts. Health risk assessment revealed children at significantly higher risk than adults, with Hazard Index (HI) values exceeding the safe threshold (HI > 1) across all paper types (Newspaper Bold: HI Child = 3.962; Magazine: HI Child = 1.774). All four carcinogenic metals (As, Pb, Cd, Cr) exceeded the acceptable cancer risk level (1 × 10⁻⁶), with children exhibiting ~ 2.3× higher risk than adults. However, these cancer risk estimates are subject to considerable uncertainty due to the absence of migration and speciation data. These findings underscore an urgent regulatory gap: Bangladesh lacks national standards for TE content in food-contact papers, allowing continued use of recycled and printed papers laden with toxic elements. We recommend further research, including migration and speciation studies, before considering prohibitions on non-food-grade papers for direct food wrapping, alongside mandatory certification of food-contact materials, and vendor education campaign.
Related
- Assessment of trace metal contamination in mangrove sediments—a case study from Guadeloupe Island, Caribbean Sea
- Digestate improved birch (Betula pendula) growth and reduced leaf trace element contents at a red gypsum landfill
- Trace element partitioning in sedimentary pyrite controlled by nanoscale processes
- From Trace Element Biogeochemistry to Critical Minerals Resourcing: Lessons Learned and Opportunities for Innovation.
- Statistical discrimination of Guatemalan jadeitite sources using LA-ICP-MS trace element and petrological data
BibTeX
@article{bintu2026trace,
title = {{Trace element contamination and health risks in paper-based food packaging in Bangladesh}},
author = {Fahmida Alam Bintu and Sabiha Zaman Tithi and Md. Tahsinur Rahman and Pinaki Chowdhury and Badhan Saha and Fakharuddin Ahmed Chowdhury and Md Yasir Arafat and Mohammad Moniruzzaman and Ohidul Alam and Md Lokman Hossain},
journal = {Food Safety and Risk},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1186/s40550-026-00169-7},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s40550-026-00169-7},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Trace element contamination and health risks in paper-based food packaging in Bangladesh
AU - Fahmida Alam Bintu
AU - Sabiha Zaman Tithi
AU - Md. Tahsinur Rahman
AU - Pinaki Chowdhury
AU - Badhan Saha
AU - Fakharuddin Ahmed Chowdhury
AU - Md Yasir Arafat
AU - Mohammad Moniruzzaman
AU - Ohidul Alam
AU - Md Lokman Hossain
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/25
JO - Food Safety and Risk
DO - 10.1186/s40550-026-00169-7
UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s40550-026-00169-7
AB - The widespread use of non-food-grade paper for food packaging in developing countries poses an un-recognized public health threat, yet comprehensive assessments of trace element (TE) contamination in such materials remain scarce. This study analyzed 38 paper samples, including newspapers (light-, bold-, and photo-printed areas), magazines, and book papers, commonly used as food wrappers in Dhaka, Bangladesh, to quantify seven TEs (As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Cu, and Mn). Cu and Mn were the most abundant elements (upto 61.9 ppm and 31.7 ppm, respectively), while As, Pb, Cd, and Cr frequently exceeded international safety limits by factors of 2–100. Multivariate analyses revealed material-specific signatures: Newspaper bold-print with As/Pb from high-density inks; Newspaper photo with Cu from copper-phthalocyanine pigments; Magazine with Ni from nickel-based catalysts. Health risk assessment revealed children at significantly higher risk than adults, with Hazard Index (HI) values exceeding the safe threshold (HI > 1) across all paper types (Newspaper Bold: HI Child = 3.962; Magazine: HI Child = 1.774). All four carcinogenic metals (As, Pb, Cd, Cr) exceeded the acceptable cancer risk level (1 × 10⁻⁶), with children exhibiting ~ 2.3× higher risk than adults. However, these cancer risk estimates are subject to considerable uncertainty due to the absence of migration and speciation data. These findings underscore an urgent regulatory gap: Bangladesh lacks national standards for TE content in food-contact papers, allowing continued use of recycled and printed papers laden with toxic elements. We recommend further research, including migration and speciation studies, before considering prohibitions on non-food-grade papers for direct food wrapping, alongside mandatory certification of food-contact materials, and vendor education campaign.
SN - 2731-9245
ER -