Arsenic Concentrations in Rice: As per the recent study published in Lancet Planetary Health links climate change to increased arsenic levels in rice.

• About: CO₂ levels and temperature rise beyond 2°C increase inorganic arsenic in rice grains.

o Soil chemistry shifts under climate change promote arsenic absorption by rice plants.

o Health risk models considered population size, rice consumption, and flood-irrigated farmland across 7 Asian nations – Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

o Rising arsenic could increase risks of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other arsenic-related health problems by 2050.

o Flooded rice fields allow plants to absorb arsenic from water, worsening the impact under climate change.

• About: Arsenic is a naturally occurring toxic element found in soil and water.

o Inorganic arsenic in rice can cause cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and other chronic health issues.