Assessment of the potential health risks associated with the aluminium, arsenic, cadmium and lead content in selected fruits and vegetables grown in Jamaica

Abstract

Thirteen Jamaican-grown food crops - ackee (Blighia sapida), banana (Musa acuminate), cabbage (Brassica oleracea), carrot (Daucus carota), cassava (Manihot esculenta), coco (Xanthosoma sagittifolium), dasheen (Colocasia esculenta), Irish potato (Solanum tuberosum), pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo), sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum), sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and turnip (Brassica rapa) - were analysed for aluminium, arsenic, cadmium and lead by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and instrumental neutron activation analysis. The fresh weight mean concentrations in these food crops (4.25-93.12 mg/kg for aluminium; 0.001-0.104 mg/kg for arsenic; 0.015-0.420 mg/kg for cadmium; 0.003-0.100 mg/kg for lead) were used to calculate the estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI) and target cancer risk (TCR) for arsenic, associated with dietary exposure to these potentially toxic elements. Each food type had a THQ and HI < 1 indicating no undue non-carcinogenic risk from exposure to a single or multiple potentially toxic elements from the same food. The TCR for arsenic in these foods were all below 1 × 10^-4, the upper limit used for acceptable cancer risk. There is no significant health risk to the consumer associated with the consumption of these Jamaican-grown food crops.

Keywords: AAS, atomic absorption spectrophotometry; ATSDR, Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry; EDI, estimated daily intake; Estimated daily intake; FAO, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; Food; GTHQ, global target hazard quotient; HI, hazard index; Hazard index; Heavy metals; IAEA, International Atomic Energy Agency; INAA, instrumental neutron activation analysis; JECFA, Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on food additives; Jamaican crops; LOAEL, lowest observed adverse effect level; NATA, National Air Toxics Assessment; NIST, National Institute of Standards and Technology; NOAEL, no observed adverse effect level; PTWI, provisional tolerable weekly intake; RSL, regional screening levels; RfD, oral reference dose; Risk assessment; TCR, target cancer risk; THQ, target hazard quotient; Target cancer risk; Target hazard quotient; US EPA, United States Environmental Protection Agency; WHO, World Health Organization.

Fig. 1

The relationship between small farmer crop-growing areas and the distribution of aluminium, arsenic, cadmium and lead in Jamaican soils.

Fig. 2

Percentage contribution of each foodstuff to the Target Hazard Quotient of Al, As, Cd and Pb respectively.

Fig. 3

Average percentage contribution of Al, As, Cd and Pb to the Hazard Index.