Biological Evidence 2018, Vol.8, No.2, 6-20
10
EDI =
Equation 2
Where: Cmetal = concentration of heavy metal in the seasoning and culinary condiments sample (mg/kg); M food
intake = daily intake of seasoning and flavoring condiments. The estimated maximum daily intake of 0.3g for
seasoning and culinary condiments in diets was used in this study.
1.6.2 Target Hazard quotients
Target hazard quotients is among the techniques used in investigating lifelong exposure to metals through diets
(Iwegbue et al., 2013a; Ihedioha et al., 2014). Target hazard quotients were designed by United State
Environmental Protection Agency to estimate potential health risk associated with long term exposure to chemical
toxicant (US EPA, 1989). The Target Hazard Quotients were calculated have been widely applied by authors
(Naughton and Petroczi, 2008a;b; Iwegbue et al., 2013a; 2015a; Ihedioha et al., 2014; Kigigha et al., 2017, 2018).
Target Hazard Quotients =
x 10
Equation 3
Where:
1)
EF=the exposure frequency (365 days/year) (Iwegbue et al., 2013a; 2015a);
2)
EDt=the exposure duration =48.9 years based on Nigerian life expectancy rate (Iwegbue et al., 2013a;
2015a);
3)
Mfi = Mass of seasoning and culinary condiments intake; Cm = concentration of metal in seasoning and
culinary condiments;
4)
RfD=oral reference dose for the metals under study were Cd (0.001), Pb (0.004), Cu (0.04), Zn (0.3), Cr
(0.003), Mn (0.14), Ni (0.02), and Co (0.0004) (Iwegbue et al., 2013a);
5)
BbW= body average weight for adult =70 kg (Abubakar et al., 2014; Ihedioha et al., 2014; Kigigha et al.,
2017), 65 kg for under graduate (within 16- 25 years), 35 kg for School children (within 6-15 years)
(Ihedioha et al., 2014) and 15 kg for child within 1-6 years (Iwegbue et al., 2015a);
6)
AT=average time for non-carcinogen (days) (365 days/year) (Ihedioha et al., 2014; Iwegbue et al., 2013a,
2015a).
When the target hazard quotients is<1, it suggest no potential adverse effects (Iwegbue et al., 2013a; 2015a;
Ihedioha et al., 2014; Kigigha et al., 2017).
The summation of the individual target hazard quotient for seasoning and flavoring condiments is total Target
Hazard Quotients (Iwegbue et al., 2013a; 2015a).
Total Target Hazard Quotients =
∑ ℎ
ℎ
1.7 Statistical analysis
Descriptive statistics was carried out using statistical package for Social Science. Data were expressed was mean
± standard deviation. The range (minimum and maximum) of the values for each seasonings and culinary
condiments brand was presented in parenthesis. The resultant mean values of heavy metals concentration was
used for the health risk assessment studies.
2 Results and Discussion
The level of the heavy metals in different brands of seasonings and culinary condiments is presented in Table 4.
The heavy metals contents showed a wide range of variability according to brand. The variation that exists among
the brands could be due to difference in feedstock, manufacturing processes and possible contamination from
exogenous sources. Plants are major ingredient of seasonings and culinary condiments, as such it is possible that
the plants may have absorbed the heavy metal from the soil they were cultivated.
