Residual levels and potential health risk assessment of heavy metals in varieties of teff (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) using ICP-OES from Becho District, Ethiopia
Keywords:
Heavy Metals, ICP-OES, Risk Assessment, Teff.Abstract
This study determined the levels of heavy metals and associated health risks from frequently consumed red, mixed, and white teff grown in Ethiopia's Becho area. The sample was wetdigested and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Further data acquisition and analysis, such as spike experiments, were conducted to validate the method's performance. The levels of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cr, Co, Ni, Pb, and Cd ranged from 83.67 to 330.10, 157.02 to 299.16, 25.88 to 44.60, 2.84 to 8.03, 0.0014 to 2.50, 0.024 to 0.35, 0.0012 to 19.73, 0.0022 to 0.40, and 0.022 to 0.34 mg/kg in all teff varieties, respectively. The percentage recovery of the examined metals in the spiked samples ranged from 88.65 to 118.80%, showing the good validity of the optimized digested procedures. Non-carcinogenic health risks to exposed adults were also assessed. The target hazard quotient (THQ) values of Fe and Mn in red teff and Mn and Ni in mixed teff were greater than unity, indicating that the consumption of red and mixed teff may cause possible non-carcinogenic health risks to exposed adults. The values of hazard index (HI) for white, red, and mixed teff were 3.95, 8.302, and 8.84, respectively, indicating that exposure of the population to heavy metals leads to potential adverse health risks. The target cancer risk (TCR) values of Ni and Cr in mixed teff showed high cancer risk, with Cd indicating a moderate effect, and the values of Ni, Cd, Pb, and Cr in red teff; Pb in mixed teff; and Cd, Cr, and Ni in white teff showed low cancer risks in the exposed adult population in the area.