Evaluation of as and se interaction in Brazilian rice cultivars

• Grant number: 16/14881-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2016
• End date: April 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Bruno Lemos Batista
• Grantee: Vitória Aparecida Procópio
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 14/05151-0 - Arsenic and rice: monitoring and (bio)remediation studies for food safety, AP.JP

Abstract

Selenium (Se) is an element present in agricultural food once it is absorbed from the soil during cultivation. Se is very important for human development; however, if this compound is present in excessive concentrations can be toxic. The soil may contain excess due to either natural forms of anthropogenic actions. In both cases when the amount absorbed by the organisms is larger than necessary, toxic effects are present. The arsenic (As), is also an element present in food that is considered toxic. When the human is exposed to As, a number of diseases, including some types of cancer because it is easily absorbed by the oral and respiratory tract. Rice is a food consumed by more than half the world's population, and the rice species Oryza sativa L. is the most cultivated. Most of this grain is formed by starch, so it is considered a high energy source, besides presenting other nutrients that may help prevent some diseases. Most of the rice is grown in flooded soils, which favors the absorption of water-soluble elements. Thus, the plant normally accumulates these elements in the grains used for human consumption. Because they are considered complex elements. The medium to be analyzed involves not only the total concentration of each element but also the concentration of each medium in which they are because they have different toxicities. Rice must have special attention because it is a grain widely consumed worldwide, making relevant analysis and study of its nutritional quality for the health of the population; developing future cultivation practices that avoid the presence of these toxic elements in their production. Therefore, this study aims to select Brazilian rice cultivars regarding As-absorption. After these cultivars will be evaluated regarding Se-absorption and Se x As co-exposed. Our work purposes to select the best cultivars concerning Se-predilection and preferably As-low absorption, thus contributing to the selection of cultivars that may be toxic, nutritionally safe.