Occurrence and health risk assessment of rare earth elements in food

Rare earth elements are recognized as lanthanides included lanthanum to lutetium, scandium, and yttrium. For a couple of decades, the demand for rare earth elements has been suggestively increased on an industrial and commercial scale. It has been shown that rare earth elements have minute concentrations in water bodies, plants, soil components, and the atmosphere. However, they tend to accumulate in these environments because of anthropogenic activities. Humans are exposed to rare earth elements via different pathways that include skin interaction, inhalation, and intake of food, and through medical applications. Amongst them, food intake is especially related to those people who are not directly exposed to high concentrations of rare earth metals on regular basis. The latest information and data of rare earth elements in our daily consumed food is very limited. Past researches, although very few, also inferred that these elements are toxic even at low concentrations. Hence, it is important to comprehend the latest knowledge of these elements in our food and carry out health risk assessment. 

Please note this is a PhD Confirmation review presentation.