Introduction

One problem that poses a risk to human health is the use of paper containing trace elements for food packaging, a practice that is becoming more common in countries such as Bangladesh (Dhaka). Scientists analyzed the composition of 38 paper samples (newspapers, magazines and more) that were being misused as food wrappers, revealing the presence of trace elements (TE). 38 samples of newspaper because it accounts for 20% of Bangladesh’s major daily newspapers.

A total of 7 trace elements were quantified: Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, Chromium, Nickel, Copper and Manganese.
Copper and Manganese were the most abundant, with concentrations of 61.9 ppm and 31.7 ppm, respectively.
1 ppm = 1 part of copper or manganese per million parts of the sample.

The problem of Food Packaging: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and more african countries

In many countries, such as Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and several African nations, the culture of street food is deeply rooted in people’s daily lives. Just consider that there are about 200,000 street vendors who, together, serve millions of meals every day, using discarded newspapers, book paper, and magazines directly as food packaging materials, unaware of the risks this entails. When the paper wraps around hot, oily foods, metals leach into the food.

Children are at approximately twice the risk compared to adults due to the presence of trace amounts of carcinogens such as Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Chromium, which exceeded international safety limits by factors of 2–100 (levels ranging from 2 to 100 times higher than the safety limits). These estimates of cancer risk are subject to considerable uncertainty due to the lack of data on migration and speciation.

Trace Elements: Effects and Where they are Found

EFFECTS

Toxic trace elements include Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, and Lead. Even at low concentrations, exposure to these elements can cause skin lesions, neurological damage, respiratory disorders, organ toxicity, and various cancers, as well as impair cardiovascular, skeletal, and endocrine functions.

Exposure to other metals such as Zinc, Nickel, Copper, and Manganese can have adverse health effects.

WHERE THEY ARE FOUND

• Copper in the newspaper photo and in the bold typefaces found in books, magazines, and newspapers.
• Manganese in the newspaper’s light typeface and in the bold typefaces found in books, magazines, and newspapers.
• Nickel in magazine paper.
• Lead was found in the following, in descending order of quantity: the newspaper’s bold typeface, the newspaper’s light typeface, and newspaper photos.

Arsenic, Cadmium, and Chromium showed consistent average concentrations in the paper samples.

Ultimately, according to the paper, Copper and Manganese were the elements present in the greatest quantities when all 38 paper samples were considered.

The limitations of the study

• According to the paper, the amount of these trace elements that transfer into food remains uncertain. It is likely that the results are overestimated because 100% of the trace elements from the paper are assumed to transfer to the food.

• No precise analysis was conducted on the chromium compound, which is considered in its most toxic form, namely hexavalent Cr(VI). Similarly, for arsenic, the worst-case toxicity scenario was evaluated.

• The health risk assessment was conducted assuming that 100% of the trace elements were ingested. The results may be overestimated.

• A limited category of paper (newspapers, magazines, and books) from Dhaka was considered, and the size is smaller than that of newspapers.

The results should therefore be considered a preliminary assessment that identifies potential concerns and priorities for further research.

The importance of the study

This study shows that Bangladesh lacks national standards governing the presence of trace elements in food-contact materials, which encourages the use of paper containing heavy metals that pose a risk to human health.

Unlike other studies, this one is more comprehensive because it analyzes five categories of paper—namely, lightweight, bold, and photoprinted papers, as well as magazines and books—and compares the concentrations of trace elements detected with international food packaging safety standards, while also estimating potential non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks. Migration and actual speciation are not taken into account.

Bibliographic sources:

1. Bintu, F.A., Tithi, S.Z., Rahman, M.T. et al. Trace element contamination and health risks in paper-based food packaging in Bangladesh. Food saf. and Risk 13, 46 (2026). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40550-026-00169-7

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