Cosmetic Use in Nigeria May Be Safe: A Human Health Risk Assessment of Metals and Metalloids in Some Common Brands.

Twenty different brands of cosmetic products were purchased from supermarkets in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, with the aims to determine the levels of metals and assess the health risk to humans through long-term usage. The concentration of metals (arsenic, lead, mercury, cadmium, and nickel) in the cosmetic samples was measured with atomic absorption spectrophotometry after acid digestion. The concentration of metals in these brands of cosmetic studied ranged from As: 0.001-0.0161 mg/kg, Pb: 0.289-2.873 mg/kg, Hg: 0.001-0.0014 mg/kg, Cd: 0.001-0.334 mg/kg, and Ni: 0.007-2.748 mg/kg. The metal and metalloid contents were less than the regulatory limits set for both metal impurities and as color additives. The target hazard quotient, hazard index, and cancer risk were less than the acceptable limit, indicating a measure of safety. Cosmetics sold in Nigeria may not add to the body burden of metals and metalloids.

Edible Mushrooms from Niger Delta, Nigeria with Heavy Metal Levels of Public Health Concern: A Human Health Risk Assessment.

BACKGROUND: Mushrooms (US6759049B2, CA2372185A1, DE60108325D1) can be contaminated by heavy metals as described in various patents. OBJECTIVE: This study has determined the potential human health risk associated with the consumption of mushroom in Niger Delta, Nigeria. Concentrations of Pb, Cd, Sn, Cu, Ni, Al and Zn in both wild/cultivated mushroom and background soil/substrate were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS). METHODS: Heavy metal pollution was calculated using Bio-Concentration Factor (BCF) and Pollution Load Index (PLI) while human health risk assessment employed Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Target Hazard Quotient (THQ), Hazard Index (HI), Carcinogenic Risk (CR) and Total Cancer Risk (TCR). The mean concentration of metals in mushroom and soil/substrate ranged from 0.021 mg/kg - 29.16 mg/kg and 0.01 mg/kg - 56.11 mg/kg. When compared with standards by WHO, EU, SON, DPR, USEPA and NAFDAC, 100% violation was observed in Ni, Cu, Cd, Zn and partial violation by Pb in the mushroom sample although soil heavy metal concentrations were within safe limits. RESULTS: There was bioconcentration and heavy metal enrichment as PLI ranged from 3.39 - 23.58. Estimated daily intakes were (0.00 - 0.47, 0.00 - 0.51 and 0.00 - 1.17) mg/kg/day and THQ were (0.01 - 0.46, 0.01 - 0.31 and 0.03 - 1.51) for adults, adolescents and children respectively. There was a violation of Permissible Tolerable Daily Intakes (PTDI) set by JECFA. Hazard indices were all >1, another indication of health concern. CONCLUSION: Nickel showed the highest carcinogenic risk with values of 4.83E-04 - 1.43E-01, 5.31E-04 - 1.00E-01 and 1.20E-03 - 2.29E-01 for adults, adolescents and children respectively. About 80% of TCR ranged from x10-1 - x10-3. Consumption of mushroom in Niger delta-Nigeria may pose significant health risk.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons In Edible Mushrooms from Niger Delta, Nigeria: Carcinogenic and Non-Carcinogenic Health Risk Assessment

In the oil-rich Niger Delta, hydrocarbon pollution and oil spillages, gas flaring and sundry anthropogenic activities constitute sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), with food contamination playing a major role in human exposure. In this study we assessed PAH levels in wild and cultivated edible mushroom species consumed by the general population from the oil producing Niger Delta, Nigeria. The concentrations of USEPA-16 PAHs were determined by gas chromatography and carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks were calculated. The concentrations of USEPA-16 PAHs ranged from 0.02 mg/kg ­ 3.37 mg/kg. The dietary intake of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic USEPA-16 PAHs (Naphthalene, Acenaphthylene, Acenaphthene, Anthracene, Phenanthrene, Flourene, Flouranthene, Pyrene, Benzo[a]Anthracene, Chrysene, Benzo[a]Pyrene, Benzo[b]Flouranthene, Benzo[K]Flouranthene, Benzo[g,h,i] Perylene, Dibenz[a,h]Anthracene and Ideno[1,2,3-cd]Pyrene) for adults, adolescents and seniors ranged from 0.00 ­ 0.05 mg/kg/day, 0.00 ­ 0.06 mg/kg/day and 0.00 ­ 0.07 mg/kg/day. The BaPeq ranged from 0.02 ­ 2.76 with margin of exposure MOE values of BaP ranging from 3,500,000 to 700,000, 3,500,000 and 3,500,000 to 7,000,000 for adults, adolescents and seniors indicating very insignificant health risk. The incremental lifetime cancer risk was within the safe range of 1.56x10-8 ­ 1.73x10-6 with the highest calculated risk found for wild Pleurotus ostreatus mushroom species from the study area.