Heightened risk in rice? Researchers discover the toxicity of thioarsenates for plants
Tuesday, June 27, 2017 - 08:02
in Biology & Nature
Rice is a staple food in many regions of the world. However, it sometimes contains levels of arsenic that are hazardous to our health. An interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Bayreuth has now discovered that there are arsenic compounds which have a toxic effect on plants and yet had not previously been considered in connection with chemical analyses of rice and the estimated health risks for humans. The research concerns thioarsenates, compounds made up of arsenic and sulphur, which may be present in rice fields more often than previously assumed. The scientists have published their findings in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.