Rice is a staple food source in Asian countries. In paddy field, rice plant can take up toxic elements through its roots from contaminated soils, and its leaves and grain can absorb the toxic elements deposited on the soil surface. A totla of 40 soil and polished rice samples were collected around four abandoned metal mines in Korea and analyzed for As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The average contents of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in rice grain grown on the contaminated soils were 0.247, 0.174, 4.694, 0.804 and 16.78 mg/kg, respectively. These levels are higher than worldwide average concentrations. Assuming the rice consumption of 169 g/day by overall households in Korea, the estimated daily intakes from the rices were found to be 33, 48, and 63% for As, Cd, and Pb, respectively, of the acceptable daily intake (ADI) suggested by the FAO/WHO Joint Food Additive and Contaminants Committee.

Keywords: As and heavy metals;Agricultural soil;Polished rice;Daily intake;