Table 5.
Toxic trace element content in Spirulina supplements.
| Element | ML 1/BMDL01 2 | Min | Max | Median (IR 3) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cd (μg/kg dwt) | 3000 | 1.22 | 226 | 22.6 (13.6–53.9) | |
| Hg (μg/kg dwt) | 100 | 0.84 | 101 | 5.57 (3.57–7.63) | |
| Pb (μg/kg dwt) | 3000 | 47.4 | 1320 | 355 (167–611) | |
| As (ug/day) | Male (87 kg) | Female (68 kg) | |||
| 26.1–696 | 20.4–544 | ||||
| RDI 4 3 g | 0.04 | 8.11 | 0.82 (0.49–1.10) | ||
| RDI 4 10 g | 0.15 | 27.0 | 2.72 (1.63–3.66) | ||
1 Maximum allowed level by European Commission [49]; 2 benchmark dose lower confidence limit for cancers of the lung, skin and bladder, and skin lesions determined by The Scientific Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) Panel [50]; 3 interquartile range; 4 recommended daily Spirulina intake.