ABSTRACT.
Bentonite clays (BC) presented in food products and used in pharmaceuticals, can affect the bioavailability of essential and toxic elements contained in the diet. The content of 30 chemical elements in the liver and
kidneys of rats that received BC with a diet at a dose of 1-100 mg/kg body weight for 92 days was studied using ICPMS. A significant effect of BC on the bioaccumulation of essential elements such as Ca, P, K, Fe, Se and Zn, as well as
a decrease in the content of toxic As in the kidneys of animals, was revealed. It is advisable to use the obtained data for
hygienic regulation of the content of nanoclays in food products, as well as for the development of protocols for the use
of BC preparations as enterosorbents.
KEYWORDS: clays, bentonite, food products, trace elements, bioavailability, rats.