Author(s): Brie Freeman, Shaden Ruesch
Mentor(s): Vinodh Chellamuthu
Institution UTech
This study explores the accumulation of heavy metals—specifically lead, cadmium, and arsenic—in individuals who regularly consume chocolate. We developed a model to analyze how these metals build up under various consumption patterns, particularly examining the effects of increased intake around holidays. Assuming chocolate is the sole source of these metals, each with a distinct whole-body half-life based on its primary accumulation site (e.g., bones for lead), we constructed a system of differential equations that incorporates the metal’s absorption rate, concentration per serving, and typical consumption patterns. Our model simulates metal accumulation from age two to age 80. The base scenario, reflecting average chocolate consumption, reveals periodic “bumps” in lead and cadmium levels around holidays, with peaks reaching approximately 1500 mcg and 1150 mcg by age 80. In a low-consumption scenario, these values reduce significantly, whereas high-consumption and holiday binge scenarios yield much higher levels, especially in high-consumption cases. Arsenic, with a notably short half-life, does not accumulate significantly over long periods and was analyzed primarily in short-term scenarios. Our findings indicate that, while heavy metals in chocolate do accumulate, their contribution to the total body burden remains low under average consumption levels. However, cumulative exposure from additional dietary and environmental sources remains a public health concern, highlighting the importance of balanced consumption habits, especially around periods of heightened intake. This model provides a foundation for further studies into metal accumulation from specific foods under various consumption patterns.