Metals found in popular red and white wines may present a potential health hazard, a study has found.

Scientists gathered safety data on a range of wines originating from 16 countries and found that almost all contained metals at levels which may pose a health risk over a person's lifetime.

Excess metal intake contributes to brain diseases such as Parkinson's and may also be linked to cancer, say the researchers.

The study is based on Target Hazard Quotients (THQs), formula-derived measurements which provide an indication of risk based on known safe dose limits. A safe level is 1.0, above which exposure is considered potentially hazardous.

Professor Declan Naughton and Dr Andrew Petroczi, from the University of Kingston in south-west London, used reported metal concentration levels to calculate THQ values for table wines.

For seven specific metals, they found that both red and white wines had average THQs ranging from 30 to 80, based on a hypothetical female intake of one 250 millilitre glass a day.

Maximum THQ values reached more than 350 for wines from Hungary and Slovakia. Wines from France, Austria, Spain, Germany and Portugal all had maximum THQs higher than 100. Only wines from Italy, Brazil and Argentina, had THQs that were not significantly greater than the 1.0 safety threshold.

Of the metals tested, vanadium, copper and manganese had the biggest impact on the measurements. Assessments were also made for chromium, nickel, lead and zinc.

Writing in the Chemistry Central Journal, the authors concluded: "Relatively high levels of potentially hazardous metal ions are frequently found in both red and white wines originating from various countries.

"For consumption of 250 ml daily, these wines give very high THQ values and may present detrimental health concerns through a lifetime based upon the metal content alone."