Climate Change May Raise Arsenic Levels in Rice, Elevating Health Risks Across A

Allanberlo

Climate change could significantly increase arsenic concentrations in paddy rice—a dietary staple for millions in Asia—according to a new study by researchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. The study finds that a rise in global temperatures beyond 2°C, combined with elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, may lead to a notable increase in inorganic arsenic (iAs) within rice grains, heightening lifetime health risks by 2050.

Published in The Lancet Planetary Health, the study was conducted in collaboration with researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It is the first to thoroughly examine the combined effects of rising CO2 and temperature on arsenic accumulation in rice.

“Our findings suggest that climate change could worsen arsenic contamination in rice, contributing to higher risks of heart disease, diabetes, and various cancers,” said Dr. Lewis Ziska, associate professor of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia. “Given rice’s central role in global diets, especially across Asia, these changes could significantly increase the burden of arsenic-related health issues.”

Ziska noted that changes in soil chemistry driven by climate conditions may promote the presence of more absorbable forms of arsenic, increasing the amount that rice plants take up.

“Inorganic arsenic exposure is already known to contribute to lung, bladder, and skin cancers, as well as ischemic heart disease,” he added. “Emerging evidence also links it to diabetes, developmental disorders, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and immune system effects.”

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Arsenic exposure through rice is already a serious health concern in countries like southern China and parts of Southeast and South Asia. To explore future risks, the researchers analyzed how rising temperatures and CO2 affected 28 rice strains over a decade using FACE (Free-Air CO2 Enrichment) field testing. They then applied advanced modeling to project health impacts in seven Asian nations: Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

Using 2021 rice consumption data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and risk thresholds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the team modeled cancer and non-cancer risks tied to arsenic exposure.

Their results project a sharp increase in lifetime cancer cases by 2050—especially lung and bladder cancers—with China facing the highest estimated impact: roughly 13.4 million additional cancer cases linked to rice consumption.

Ziska emphasized the need for proactive measures: “We can address this threat through strategies like breeding rice varieties that absorb less arsenic, improving soil management practices, refining rice processing methods, and launching public health campaigns to educate communities and monitor exposure.”

He added, “This study highlights an urgent public health challenge. As climate change continues to reshape food systems, reducing arsenic in rice must be a key priority to protect vulnerable populations and ensure global food safety.”