Heavy Metal Levels in Common Spices From Selected Markets in Southeastern Nigeria.

Abstract

Food spices sold in Nigerian markets are often exposed to diversity ofconditions and environments before they reach the consumers. There is no doubt that alongthe route from the producers to the users, as well as during processing, these commodities,could become contaminated with sand and grits, dusts, smoke, particulates, pathogens andheavy toxic metals. In this research, the degree of contamination with chromium weredetermined in fifty common food spices bought from three major markets in SoutheasternNigeria. Two grams of ground dried spice samples were digested using 2:1 HNO3 / Hclo4mixture and analysis of chromium metal were carried out using a GBC Avanta ver. 2.02atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results showed that the mean concentration of Crrange of detectable values (μg/g) in the fruits, vegetables, other natural spices and processedspices were (0.03-62.30) and (0.50-17.40) respectively. One way analysis of variance showedthe mean concentrations of cr. in each selected common spice are not the same since the Pvalueis less than 0.05(i.e P<0.05). The mean concentration of cr. in the various spices are thesame with respect to location since the P-value is greater than 0.05 ( i.e P>0.05). The meanconcentration of cr. in each processed food spices are the same at P>0.05 while the meanconcentration of cr. in the various processed food spices are also the same with respect tolocation at P>0.05. The level of cr. was below the FAO/WHO recommended limits for metalsin common spices. The daily human intakes of chromium have also been computed and wasobserved below recommended values by FAO/WHO.