Farmers in the Yangtze River Delta have long utilized flooded paddies to cultivate rice, a method that's deeply rooted in tradition. However, a recent study highlights how climate change exacerbates the presence of inorganic arsenic in rice, the second-largest dietary source of this toxic chemical globally. If rice cultivation practices do not change and climate issues are not addressed, communities that rely heavily on rice could face serious health risks, including cancer, as early as 2050. The findings serve as a vital alert for the agricultural sector and public health stakeholders.
"Our results are very scary," said Donming Wang, the ecological doctorate student at the Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences who led the paper. "It's a disaster ... and a wake-up call."
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