Arsenic in rice, a global understanding.

Inorganic arsenic is a carcinogen found in rice grain as ~ 10-fold higher than most other foods, with rice also being the dietary staple for half the world. The concentrations of inorganic arsenic in rice are such that they constitute a health risk, & this has led to standard being set for this chemical in rice by the EU & WHO. The seminar will consider why inorganic arsenic is elevated in rice, focusing on physiology, biogeochemistry & pollutant inputs into paddy fields. Our recent approach has been to understand the global variation in arsenic in rice, deriving a major new understanding as to why this element is so problematic for rice.

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