Probabilistic non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk assessments of potential toxic metals (PTMs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in canned foods in Nigeria: understanding the size of the problem

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the concentrations of potential toxic metals (PTMs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in 20 canned food samples (fish, meat, vegetable, non-alcoholic drink and beverage) sold in markets of Port Harcourt city (Nigeria) and to assess their potential human health risks (non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic). The methodology comprised the Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (GFAAS) analysis of metals and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of PAHs, and then the calculation of the estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ) and cancer risk (CR) in adults and children. Results showed that the EDI values for As, Cd, Cu, and Pb from consumption of canned foods were below the provisional tolerable daily/provisional tolerable weekly intakes (PTDI/PTWI), and for Fe and Zn below the recommended daily intake (RDI), in both adults and children. The EDI value for B[a]P from consumption of canned foods was less than the PTWI value in both adults and children. Whilst the individual THQ values of metals were less than 1, the ∑THQ values were higher than 1 thus indicating a potential health risk arising from consumption of canned foods containing a mixture of metals. Moreover, the CR values by individual carcinogenic metals indicated a priority risk in both adults and children for As (mean, 2.43E-02 and 9.73E-03) and Cd (mean, 6.03E-03 and 1.95E-03), while the risk was acceptable for PAHs exposure (2.13E-09). In addition, the total CR (TCR), which was used to assess the effects of multiple carcinogenic metals, ranged from 1.24E-02 to 6.237E-02 indicating a carcinogenic risk for adults and children. In conclusion, the consumption of canned foods by Nigerian community can bring about worst health risks due to the residual concentration of PTMs in these products and the health hazard associated with them.