Abstract:
This study was designed to determine the concentrations of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn),
copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) status in
commonly consumed foodstuffs such as, various parts of boiler and cock chicken
(breast meat, leg meat, bone, liver, and brain), as well as some common foods (egg
albumin, yolk, raw rice, black gram, fine and coarse lentil) collected from five
different marketplaces of Dhaka city and to assess potential human health risks
through the consumption of those foodstuffs. A total of 70 food samples were
analyzed for Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr, Pb, Mn, and Cd contents by an atomic absorption
spectrophotometer. The contents of Cu, Pb, and Cd, were found in most of the
analyzed foodstuff samples that exceeded the FAO/WHO maximum allowable
concentration (MAC) value. The estimated daily intake (EDI) for all heavy metals
was below the corresponding maximum tolerable daily intake (MTDI). The
incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) values of Cd in egg, rice, black gram, coarse,
and fine lentil samples exceeded the threshold limit (ILCR > 10
ii
−4
) for both adults and
children, indicating lifetime cancer risk due to the consumption of contaminated
foods. Although the threshold limit (ILCR > 10
−4
) for selected body parts of both
boiler and cock chicken was lower except bone sample. The target hazard quotient
(THQ) of each heavy metal was THQ < 1.0 in all chicken and egg samples but THQ >
1.0 was observed in rice and coarse lentil samples for Fe, Pb, and Cd, indicating that
consumers have potential non-cancer risk when exposed to a single heavy metal.
However, hazard index (HI) values of heavy metals were greater than one in
contaminated rice and coarse lentil for adults and children. Meanwhile, rice and
coarse lentil samples for children emerged as potential health risks for inhabitants in
the studied areas. Among the individual metals, Cu was the most dominant metal
present in different foodstuffs collected from different marketplaces of Dhaka city and
contributed to significant risk to the people.
Description:
A Thesis
Submitted to the Department of Agricultural Chemistry
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE (MS)
IN
AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY
