Levels of some heavy metals in vegetables from artisanal mining sites of Dilimi River, Bukuru and Barkin Ladi North Central Nigeria: any public health concern?
Journal Title: Roczniki Państwowego Zakładu Higieny - Year 2018, Vol 69, Issue 4
Abstract
BACKGROUND: North Central Nigeria is the food basket of Nigeria but is also known for its artisanal mining with attendant public health consequences which is hitherto unquantified. Vegetables grown close to these mining sites may be contaminated with heavy metals. OBJECTIVE: This study has estimated health risk associated with heavy metals HM (Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn, Se and Ni) in vegetables harvested inform the mining areas of Dilimi, Bukuru and Barkin Ladi by calculating the Daily intake, Target Hazard Quotient (THQ), Hazard Index (HI) and the Cancer risk (CR) for adults and children in the local population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Vegetable, soil, irrigation water and sediments samples were collected, digested, ashed and analyzed for HM using an Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS). RESULTS: The concentration of heavy metals in vegetables were in the order Cd < Se < Cr < Cu < Ni < Zn. There were higher HM levels in soil than vegetables samples. The daily intake of HM from vegetable consumption decreased in the following order Cd < Se < Cr < Cu < Ni < Zn. At least 62.5% of vegetable samples had THQ values > 1 in Dilimi, Bukuru and Barkin ladi (Adults) while 13% of vegetable samples had THQ values > 1 in children. The THQ of nickel ranged from 0.38-2.73 and 0.21-1.53 in adults and children respectively. The bio-concentration factor ranged from 0.026-7.52, 0.01-0.36 and 0.0011-1.23 in Dilimi, Bukuru and Barkin Ladi respectively for all the studied heavy metals. The cancer risk values ranged from 0.011-0.04 and 0.00066-0.02 across all the studied areas for adults and children respectively. HI values for adults were all >1 and also the total cancer risk was above the acceptable range of 10-4. CONCLUSION: Since THQ is > 1 in most of the samples, HI values > 1 for adults in all the vegetable and cancer risk above the acceptable limit consumption of vegetables from the study areas is not free of risk.
Authors and Affiliations
Orish Ebere Orisakwe, Emmanuel Ayuba Dagur, Herbert Orji Chidi Mbagwu, Nnaemeka Arinze Udowelle, Samuel James Offor
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP491616
- DOI 10.32394/rpzh.2018.0038
- Views 58
- Downloads 0
Nutrition of students from dietetics profile education in the Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities compared with students from other academic centres
Background. Appropriate nutrition in humans is one of the most important factors affecting normal development, nutritional status and keeping healthy. University students can be overburdened with responsibilities arising...
The use of fruit extracts for production of apple chips with enhanced antioxidant activity
Background. Style and pace of life make consumers more willing to reach for snack products. This group of processed food includes, among others, fruit chips. Due to the increasing incidence of diseases associated with th...
Professor Jan Karol Kostrzewski, MD (1915-2005) - centenary anniversary of the birth
PROFESSOR JAN KAROL KOSTRZEWSKI, MD (1915-2005) CENTENARY ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH
Impact of products from ground buckwheat added to balanced diets on biochemical blood markers in Wistar rats
Background. It is believed that buckwheat can be used as a functional food ingredient in the prevention and treatment of diet-related diseases, e.g., atherosclerosis, hypertension, obesity, constipation and cancers. The...
Evaluation of selected dietary behaviours of students according to gender and nutritional knowledge
Introduction. Nutrition is a factor influencing physical and mental fitness. In this study we examine the lifestyle of university students and its impact on nutritional errors. Objective. To evaluate the dietary behavi...