Trace element contamination and health risks in paper-based food packaging in Bangladesh

The widespread use of non-food-grade paper for food packaging in developing countries poses an un-recognized public health threat, yet comprehensive assessments of trace element (TE) contamination in such materials remain scarce. This study analyzed 38 paper samples, including newspapers (light-, bold-, and photo-printed areas), magazines, and book papers, commonly used as food wrappers in Dhaka, Bangladesh, to quantify seven TEs (As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Cu, and Mn). Cu and Mn were the most abundant elements (upto 61.9 ppm and 31.7 ppm, respectively), while As, Pb, Cd, and Cr frequently exceeded international safety limits by factors of 2–100. Multivariate analyses revealed material-specific signatures: Newspaper bold-print with As/Pb from high-density inks; Newspaper photo with Cu from copper-phthalocyanine pigments; Magazine with Ni from nickel-based catalysts. Health risk assessment revealed children at significantly higher risk than adults, with Hazard Index (HI) values exceeding the safe threshold (HI > 1) across all paper types (Newspaper Bold: HI Child = 3.962; Magazine: HI Child = 1.774). All four carcinogenic metals (As, Pb, Cd, Cr) exceeded the acceptable cancer risk level (1 × 10⁻⁶), with children exhibiting ~ 2.3× higher risk than adults. However, these cancer risk estimates are subject to considerable uncertainty due to the absence of migration and speciation data. These findings underscore an urgent regulatory gap: Bangladesh lacks national standards for TE content in food-contact papers, allowing continued use of recycled and printed papers laden with toxic elements. We recommend further research, including migration and speciation studies, before considering prohibitions on non-food-grade papers for direct food wrapping, alongside mandatory certification of food-contact materials, and vendor education campaign.