Francisca I. Bassey

Safety evaluation of metal exposure from commonly used moisturizing and skin-lightening creams in Nigeria

The concentrations of ten metals (Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Cu, Co, Fe, Mn, Zn and Al) were measured in some commonly used moisturizing and skin-lightening creams in Nigeria with a view to providing information on the risk of exposure to metals from the use of these products. The metal concentrations in these products were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry after acid digestion of the samples. The measured concentrations of metals in the skin moisturizing creams ranged from <0.15 to 6.3 μg/g Cd, <0.02 to 17.5 μg/g Cu, 2.25 to 6.25 μg/g Cr, <0.25 to 124.3 μg/g Al, 0.2 to 7.3 μg/g Pb, <0.03 to 10.7 μg/g Ni, 17.3 to 372.0 μg/g Zn, <0.02 to 1.0 μg/g Co, 17.75 to 28.8 μg/g Mn, <0.1 to 89.8 μg/g Fe while the concentrations of metals in the skin-lightening products ranged from <0.15 to 16.5 μg/g Cd, <0.02 to 10.0 μg/g Cu, 4.25 to 8.0 μg/g Cr, <0.25 to 128.0 μg/g Al, 0.5 to 4.5 μg/g Pb, <0.03 to 1.65 μg/g Ni, 24.7 to 267.5 μg/g Zn, <0.02 to 2.5 μg/g for Co, 19.3 to 31.8 μg/g Mn, 9.5 to 211.63 μg/g Fe. In a significant number (>93%) of the samples investigated the concentrations of Pb, Cd, Ni and Co were below the specified limit, or the maximal limit for impurities in colour additives in cosmetics for external use. However, Cr was found at concentrations above the allergenic limit of 1 μg/g. The results also showed that skin-lightening creams contained higher concentrations of the studied metals than the moisturizing creams, except for Ni, which indicates that persons who uses skin-lightening creams in preference to moisturizing ones, are exposed to higher concentrations of metals.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in commercially available infant formulae in Nigeria: Estimation of dietary intakes and risk assessment

The concentrations and profiles of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in commercially available infant formulae and follow-up formulae in Nigeria were determined with a view to providing information on the health risks to children from the consumption of these infant foods. The concentrations of PAHs were measured by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) after extraction by ultrasonication with acetone/dichloromethane and clean-up. The concentrations of the Σ16 PAHs in these infant formulae ranged from 0.102 to 1.98 μg kg(-1), 0.054-1.98 μg kg(-1), 0.081-2.54 μg kg(-1) and 0.51-0.70 μg kg(-1) for infants of ages 0-6 months, 6-12 months, 1-3 years and 0-12 months respectively. The concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) in all samples investigated were below the 1 μg kg(-1) European Commission permissible limit for BaP in foods meant for infants. The estimated daily intake of PAHs based on the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) suggested indicators of occurrence and effects of PAHs in foods were not detected (nd) to 2.67 ng BaP kg(-1) bw day(-1), nd-5.29 ng PAH2 kg(-1) bw day(-1), nd-11.20 ngPAH4 kg(-1) bw day(-1) and nd-34.96 ng PAH8 kg(-1) bw day(-1). The estimated margin of exposure (MOE) values: BaP-MOE, PAH2-MOE, PAH4-MOE and PAH8-MOE values were greater than 10,000 which indicates that there are no health risks from the consumption of these products by infants. The concentrations and dietary exposure to PAHs from these products were similar to values reported in the literature for European Communities.

Effects of processing on the proximate and metal contents in three fish species from Nigerian coastal waters.

The effects of culinary practices such as boiling, frying, and grilling on the proximate compositions and concentrations of metals (Cd, Pb, Cr, Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Hg) in commonly consumed fish species from the Nigerian coastal waters were investigated. The selected fish species were Polydactylus quadratifilis, Chrysicthys nigrodigitatus and Cynoglossus senegalensis. The culinary practices lead to increased protein, fat, and ash contents and decreased moisture contents of these fish species. The culinary practices resulted significant increase in the concentrations of most of the studied metals and decrease in the concentrations of Fe, Cr, and Pb in some fish types. The concentrations and estimated dietary intakes of Cd, Pb, Cr, Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Hg from consumption of the processed fish were within their statutory safe limits. The individual metal target hazard quotient (THQ) values and the total THQs were less than 1 which indicates that no health risks would arise from the long-term consumption of these fish species.

Concentrations and exposure risks of some metals in facial cosmetics in Nigeria

The concentrations of nine metals (Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) were determined in lip sticks, lip glosses, lip balms, eye pencils, eyeliners, eye shadows, blushes, mascaras and face powders. The study was aimed at providing information on the risk associated with human exposure to metals in these facial cosmetic products. The concentrations of metals in the samples were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry after digestion with a mixture of nitric acid, hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide. The mean concentrations of metals in these facial cosmetics ranged from 3.1 to 8.4 μg g−1 Cd, 12–240 μg g−1 Pb, 9.1–44 μg g−1 Cr, 18–288 μg g−1 Ni, 1.6–80 μg g−1 Cu, 7.9–17 μg g−1 Co, 2.3–28 mg g−1 Fe, 12–230 μg g−1 Mn, and from 18 to 320 μg g−1 Zn. The concentrations of Ni, Cr and Co were above the suggested safe limit of 1 μg g−1 for skin protection, while Cd and Pb were above the Canadian specified limits. The systemic exposure dosage (SED) values for these metals obtained from the use of these facial cosmetic products were below their respective provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI)/or recommended daily intake (RDI) values. The margin of safety values obtained were greater than 100 which indicated that the concentrations of the metals investigated in these facial cosmetics do not present considerable risk to the users except in the case of face powders.

Concentrations and Profiles of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Some Commercial Brands of Tea-, Coffee-, and Cocoa-Based Food Drinks in Nigeria

Concentrations and profiles of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were determined in some popular commercial brands of tea-, coffee-, and cocoa-based food drinks in Nigeria by gas chromatograph-flame ionization after hexane/dichloromethane extraction and clean up. The concentrations of the ∑16 Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in these products ranged from 5.2–913.1, 38.7–593.1, and 38.0–1406.4 μg kg−1 for tea-, coffee-, and cocoa-based food drinks, respectively. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon profiles indicate the dominance of three and four rings PAHs in these food items. The concentrations of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) eight carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ranged from nd–218.9, nd–102.9, and nd–1248.5 μg kg−1 for tea-, coffee-, and cocoa-based food drinks, respectively.

Concentrations and Health Risk of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Some Brands of Biscuits in the Nigerian Market

ABSTRACT Concentrations of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in 40 brands of biscuits in the Nigerian market. The analyses were performed by gas chromatography-flame ionisation detection (GC-FID) after Soxhlet extraction of the sample with hexane/dichloromethane and clean-up of the extract. The concentrations of Σ16 PAHs in these biscuit samples were in the range of 35.7–645.3 μg kg−1, 75.9–490.7 μg kg−1, 91.5–537 μg kg−1, 18.4–522.2 μg kg−1, 123.5–393.8 μg kg−1, 167.2–880 μg kg−1, 136.5–316 μg kg−1, and 135.5–241.6 μg kg−1 for shortcake, digestives, cookies, shortbread, wafers, crackers, Pringles, and cabin, respectively. The concentrations of Σ8 carcinogenic PAHs in the samples ranged from not detected (nd)–323.3 μg kg−1, 15.7–138 μg kg−1, 9.7–312.9 μg kg−1, nd–331.7 μg kg−1, nd–220.9 μg kg−1, nd–53.3 μg kg−1, 18.4–56.6 μg kg−1, and 6.6–170.8 μg kg−1 for shortcake, digestives, cookies, shortbread, wafers, crackers, Pringles, and cabin, respectively. The margin of exposure (MOE), based on PAH8 as an indicator for the occurrence and effects of PAHs in food, was less than 10,000, the serious health effects value, in 30% and 8% of the brands for the child and adult scenarios, respectively.

Concentrations and profiles of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in some popular fish species in Nigeria.

The concentrations and profiles of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in 10 popular fish species in the Nigerian market were determined with a view to providing information on the health hazards associated with the consumption of these fish species. The concentrations of PAHs were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after extraction by ultrasonication with acetone-dichloromethane and clean up. The concentration ranges of the Σ16 PAHs were 20 to 39.6 μg kg(-1) for Parachanna obscura (African snake head), 6.8 to 532.3 μg kg(-1) for Oreochromis niloticus (tilapia), 7.4 to 91.1 μg kg(-1) for Gymnarchus niloticus (Asa), 13.1 to 34.1 μg kg(-1) for Sebastes fasciatus (red fish), 11.2 to 80.0 μg kg(-1) for Gadus morhua (cod), 23.9 to 34.6 μg kg(-1) for Chrysicthys nigrodigitatus (silver cat fish), 63.4 to 131.4 μg kg(-1) for Sardinella aurita (sardine), 22 to 52.9 μg kg(-1) for Trachurus trachurus (Atlantic horse mackerel), 21.0 to 63.7 μg kg(-1) for Scomber scombrus (mackerel), and 27.7 to 44.5 μg kg(-1) for Pseudotolithus senegalensis (croaker). Benzo[a]pyrene occurred in 23% of these fish samples at concentrations above the European Union permissible limit of 2.0 μg kg(-1). The calculated margins of exposure based on the indicators for occurrence and effects of PAHs were greater than 10,000 indicating no potential risk for the consumers of the species evaluated in this study.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Profiles of Some Brands of Canned Fish in the Nigerian Market

ABSTRACT Concentrations and profiles of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in selected popular brands of canned fish (mackerel, sardine, and tuna) consumed in Nigeria with a view to providing information on the health risk associated with consumption of these products. The concentrations of PAHs were measured by gas chromatography equipped with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) after dichloromethane/hexane extraction and clean-up. The concentrations of Σ16 PAHs in these brands of canned fish varied from 174.6 to 350.8 μg/kg, 187.4 to 592.5 μg/kg, and 204 to 264.6 μg/kg for mackerel, sardine, and tuna, respectively. Benzo(a)pyrene was detected in 48% of the investigated brands at concentrations higher than the maximum tolerable limit of 5 μg/kg. The daily intake of PAHs from the consumption of any brand of these canned fish ranged from not detected (nd) to 54.3 ng BaP/kg bw/day, nd to 56.4 ng PAH2/kg bw/day, nd to 86.4 ng PAH4/kg bw/day, and nd to 153.7 ng PAH8/kg bw/day. The estimated margin of exposure (MOE) values (BaP-MOE, PAH2-MOE, PAH4-MOE, and PAH8-MOE) in a significant proportion of the brands was less than 10,000, which indicates a potential health risk for the consumers of these brands of canned fish.

Evaluation of human exposure to metals from some commonly used bathing soaps and shower gels in Nigeria.

Abstract The concentrations of nine metals (Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) were measured in selected brands of medicated, moisturizing and skin‐lightening soaps and shower gels with the aim of evaluating the human health risk associated with metal exposure from the use of these products. The concentrations of metals in these products were determined by means of atomic absorption spectrophotometry after sample digestion with a mixture of acids. The concentration ranges of the metals in the bathing soaps and shower gels were found to be: <0.06–3.4 &mgr;g g−1 for Cd, <0.09–26.5 &mgr;g g−1 for Pb, <0.12–43.0 &mgr;g g−1 for Cr, <0.06–32.5 &mgr;g g−1 for Ni, <0.06–40.5 &mgr;g g−1 for Cu, <0.12–8.0 &mgr;g g−1 for Co, 61.8–4000 &mgr;g g−1 for Fe, <0.09–29.5 &mgr;g g−1 for Mn, and 25.5–1000 &mgr;g g−1 for Zn. The systemic exposure dosage values for these metals obtained from the application of these brands of bathing soaps and shower gels were below their respective provisional tolerable daily intake/or recommended daily intake values. The margin of safety values obtained for the metals were greater than 100 which indicated that there was no significant risk to the users of these brands of bathing soaps and shower gels, except in the case of Co. HighlightsThe system exposure dosages of the metals were below tolerable intake values.There was no considerable risk to the users of these brands of cosmetics.Metals in these brands of cosmetics varied with their origins.

A survey of metal profiles in some traditional alcoholic beverages in Nigeria

The concentrations of Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Cu, Co, Fe, Mn, Zn, Mg, Ca, K, and Na were determined in some traditional alcoholic beverages (oil palm wine, raphia palm wine, burukutu, pito, ogogoro) consumed in southern Nigeria, with a view to providing information on the dietary intakes of essential metals and exposure of humans to toxic metals. The concentrations of these 13 elements were determined by atomic spectrometry after nitric acid/hydrogen peroxide digestion. The mean concentrations of the metals (mg/L) in the samples ranged from 0.02 to 0.05 for Cd; 0.01 to 0.19 for Pb; nd to 0.11 for Ni, nd to 0.15 for Cr; 0.09 to 0.60 for Cu; 0.01–0.08 for Co; 0.30 to 10.3 for Fe; 0.02 to 3.97 for Mn; 0.12 to 3.84 for Zn; 2.08 to 301.3 for Mg; 2.21 to 49.2 for Ca; 35.05 to 926.1 for K; 6.30–58.1 for Na. The mean concentrations of metals in these alcoholic beverages were below statutory limits for the metals in alcoholic beverages and were similar to concentrations found in other alcoholic beverages in the literature. The estimated daily intakes of metals from the consumption of these alcoholic beverages were less than 2% of the recommended dietary allowance values except for Cd and Pb. The individual and combined metals target hazard quotient values were less than 1 except for raphia palm wine and burukutu. From the estimated target hazard, no long life health concerns of metals are associated with the consumption of these alcoholic beverages.