Human health risk assessment of heavy metals in soils and commonly consumed food crops from quarry sites located at Isiagwu, Ebonyi State

Abstract

In view of ensuring healthy agricultural foods for human consumption, this study assessed the human health risk implicated in selected heavy metals in some commonly consumed vegetables, tubers, nuts and fruits grown around the quarry sites at Ishiagu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Samples from agriculture area of Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria, constituted the control. The concentration of Mn, Zn, Fe, Cu, Cd, and Pb, were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry. The potential non-carcinogenic health risk for consumers which included Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) and Target Hazard Quotients (THQ) for Pb, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cd and Cu while carcinogenic health risk using Cancer Slope Factors (CSF) was established for Cd and Pb. Relative abundance of heavy metals across the locations and all samples was in the order Fe > Mn > Zn > Pb > Cu > Cd. There was statistical significant effect of quarrying activities on the concentration of the heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Zn, Pb, Cu, Cd) at p < 0.05 level. Based on the observed bioconcentration factors, cassava showed more hyperaccumulation potential compared to other samples. Pumpkin and bitter leaf also could be used in remediation owing to their high bioaccumulation index for Pb and Zn. THQ obtained for Mn and Pb were >1 indicating that the residents at the quarry site may be exposed to potential non-carcinogenic health risk due to Mn and Pb intoxication. With respect to US EPA prescriptions, average carcinogenic risk values obtained for Pb and Cd in this study indicated a lifetime (70 years) probability of contracting cancer suggesting that they be placed for further consideration as chemicals of concern with respect to the assessed locals.Keywords: health risk assessment, bioconcentration factors, daily intake of heavy metals, target hazard quotient, carcinogenic risk, heavy metal.

Health Risk Assessment of Dietary Heavy Metals Intake from Fruits and Vegetables Grown in Selected Old Mining Areas—A Case Study: The Banat Area of Southern Carpathians

“…Because the measured values for WEDIM for Cd in root vegetables from the R area were very close to the UL value for Cd, the consumption of these vegetal foodstuffs is highly likely to serve as a route for introducing Cd into the human body [ 16 , 56 , 60 ]. Our values were higher than those observed by Mincic in Kosovo [ 56 ], Onyedikachi in Nigeria [ 9 ], but close to those reported by Pypoian in Armenia [ 16 ], Llobet in Catalonia, Spain [ 22 ], Gebeyehu in Ethiopia [ 60 ], and Li and Zheng in selected industrial and mining areas from China [ 15 , 47 ]. We also observed that metal intakes via fruits were lower than those determined for vegetables, irrespective of analyzed site.…”

“…Heavy metals, such as iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) (hereinafter referred to as metals), are high-profile inorganic pollutants that once extracted from the natural environment and accumulated in plant foodstuffs can pose a serious hazard for both human and environmental health [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Sludges, solid wastes, fertilizers, waste waters, vehicular and industrial emissions, and many other industrial byproducts are major sources of soil contamination with metals [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. There is compelling evidence for elevated metal uptake in people consuming food crops, vegetables and fruits grown on anthropically contaminated soils, and/or animal products (e.g., meat, milk, eggs) originating from these areas [ 10 , 11 , 12 ].…”

Fly Ash, from Recycling to Potential Raw Material for Mesoporous Silica Synthesis

“…The fly ash was dried and mixed with cellulose to obtain pellets and was applied to the soil (about 200 t/ha). As it can be seen from Figure 5, the soil enrichment with heavy metals in rice crops did not exceed the upper control limits (in soil: 1500 ppm for Mn, 100 ppm for Cu and 300 ppm for Zn; in plant: 300 ppm for Mn, 50 ppm for Cu and 100 ppm for Zn) [31][32][33]. Thus, the soils treated with fly ash presented a slight enrichment with microelements, such as Zn, Mn and Cu, which are essential for plant growth.…”

Exposure to Heavy Metals in Soot Samples and Cancer Risk Assessment in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

“…It therefore follows that ingestion (oral) exposure to contaminants should not be the only criteria for assessing health risks. Other routes of human exposure such as gaseous intake (inhalation) and dermal deposition should be considered 38. The present study was aimed at determining the presence and levels of some heavy metals in soot air samples from Port Harcourt; an oil-rich city in Nigeria's Niger delta region.…”