Dietary Exposure to Mercury and Arsenic From Traditional Qatari Foods: Implications for Food Safety and Public Health

ABSTRACT Heavy metals have become increasingly prevalent in the environment due to industrial and agricultural activities, thereby posing significant health risks. This study aims to evaluate the levels of mercury and arsenic in Qatari dishes and their associated health implications. Qatari composite foods were analyzed for arsenic and mercury content, and statistical comparisons were performed using one‐way ANOVA. Risk assessment was conducted based on estimated daily intake (EDI), hazard quotient (HQ), and hazard index (HI). Arsenic concentrations ranged from 0.44 to 7.07 mg/kg, with no significant variation across dish categories, whereas mercury levels varied between 1.33 and 719.25 μg/kg and differed significantly ( p < 0.001), peaking in sea bass based meals and being lowest in egg dishes. A strong positive correlation ( r ≈ 0.95) was observed between arsenic and mercury, suggesting shared pathways of accumulation. Female participants exhibited higher EDI and HQ values; however, elevated mercury contributed to high HI values across both genders. These findings highlight seafood, particularly sea bass dishes, as dominant sources of mercury exposure in the Qatari diet, underscoring the need for strengthened food safety regulations and public health initiatives aimed at dietary risk mitigation.