Exposure to environmental pollutants in humans can be conducted through direct measurement of biological media such as blood, urine or hair. Assessment studies of metals and metalloids in Malaysia is very scarce although cross-sectional nationwide human biomonitoring surveys have been established by the USA, Canada, Germany, Spain, France, and Korea. This study aims to assess urinary metal levels namely cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) among Malaysian adults. This was a cross-sectional study involving 1440 adults between the age of 18 and 88 years old. After excluding those with 24 h urine samples of less than 500 ml, urine creatinine levels < 0.3 or > 3.0 g/L and those who refuse to participate in the study, a total of 817 respondents were included for analysis. A questionnaire with socio-demographic information such as age, gender, occupation, ethnic, academic qualification and medical history was administered to the respondents. Twenty-four-hour urine samples were collected in a container before being transported at 4 °C to the laboratory. Samples were then aliquoted into 15 ml tubes and kept at − 80 °C until further analysis. Urine was diluted ten-fold with ultrapure water, filtered and analysed for metals and metalloids using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The geometric mean of urinary As, Ni, Cd and Pb concentrations among adults in Malaysia was 48.21, 4.37, 0.32, and 0.80 µg/L, respectively. Males showed significantly higher urinary metal concentrations compared to females for As, Cd and Pb except for Ni. Those who resided in rural areas exhibited significantly higher As, Cd and Pb urinary concentrations than those who resided in urban areas. As there are no nationwide data on urinary metals, findings from this study could be used to identify high exposure groups, thus enabling policy makers to improve public health strategically.

Food contaminated with heavy metals poses a serious threat to consumers. This study aims to assess levels of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in offals of chicken, cattle, and pig as well as tin (Sn) in canned food. A total of 378 offal samples was collected from wet markets, while 218 canned food samples were purchased locally. Samples were digested using a microwave before analysis with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Pb was determined, highest in cattle lung (0.11 ± 0.20 mg/kg) followed by cattle spleen (0.09 ± 0.14 mg/kg), and cattle tripe (0.09 ± 0.12 mg/kg). For Cd, the highest concentrations were in cattle liver (0.13 ± 0.12 mg/kg), pig liver (0.08 ± 0.05 mg/kg), and chicken liver (0.03 ± 0.02 mg/kg). Significant variations of Sn levels existed in different canned food categories with 3.21% samples (n = 7) exceeded the maximum level of 250 mg/kg set by Codex Alimentarius. All offal samples were below the Malaysian regulatory limits, indicating their safety for human consumption. However, Sn levels varied significantly among canned food categories, with the highest levels found in canned pineapple chunks in syrup, mixed pineapple cubes in syrup, pineapple slices and longan. Samples exceeding the maximum level set by Codex Alimentarius may pose a risk to consumers.

Introduction Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is generally known as secondhand smoke. Assessing the magnitude of children’s exposure to ETS from early infancy is essential for public health and research endeavours. Urinary cotinine is now widely recognised as the primary indicator for assessing exposure to ETS across all age groups. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to synthesise all the published evidence on the urinary cotinine cut-off concentrations used to categorise children under 5 years as being exposed to ETS. Methods and analysis We will conduct a systematic review according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. A comprehensive search will be conducted from various databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus and Cochrane Library. This search will be performed from the earliest published articles up to the latest available studies until February 2025. We will include all the experimental and observational studies, such as cohort, case–control and cross-sectional, that measure urinary cotinine concentrations in children under 5 years old. Data extraction will be conducted using a standardised data extraction form, and the study quality will be evaluated according to the guidelines specified by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The extracted data will be pooled and combined for meta-analysis. Two reviewers will independently screen, select and assess the quality of the included study. The result will be tabulated in a table of characteristics of the included study, which consists of the cut-off cotinine concentrations, analytical technique, method referred, study design, study area and respondents’ characteristics. Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval is not required as this is a review of collected published data. Findings will be disseminated in peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations, as well as with key stakeholders, health policymakers and healthcare professionals. PROSPERO registration number CRD42024556969.

This study investigates trace element exposure among conventional and organic farmers in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia, a region known for intensive pesticide use. Despite differences in agricultural practices, both groups may be exposed to environmental contaminants. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) NexION® 350S was used to analyze essential elements (sodium, magnesium, iron, zinc) and toxic elements (chromium, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, lead). A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 62 farmers (47 conventional, 15 organic). Data collection involved structured interviews and biological sampling (hair and nails). Findings revealed significant differences in trace element concentrations based on farming practices. Chromium (Cr) levels were significantly higher in conventional farmers, suggesting exposure to synthetic agrochemicals. Mercury (Hg) levels were also elevated, indicating cumulative pesticide and soil contamination exposure. Organic farmers exhibited slightly higher concentrations of essential elements such as iron and sodium, possibly due to variations in soil management and fertilizer use. Correlation analysis revealed potential synergistic and antagonistic interactions among trace elements, with implications for cumulative toxicity and occupational health risks. Despite different agricultural approaches, both groups remain at risk of environmental exposure due to long-term pesticide application in the region. This study underscores the need for sustainable agricultural practices to reduce trace element exposure and protect farmers’ health in pesticide-intensive highland villages.