Human Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals and Metalloids in Herbal Medicines Used to Treat Anxiety: Monitoring of Safety

The present study estimated the human health risk assessment and daily intake of heavy metals and metalloids in herbal medicines used to treat anxiety in Brazil. Six different brands of herbal medicines were purchased in the city of Campo Grande/MS, Brazil: Pasalix®, Calman®, Serenus®, Maracugina®, Prakalmar® and Calmasyn®. In total, eight elements including As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, and Pb were analyzed using optical emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP OES). Only the concentration of As in the herbal medicine Prakalmar® is above the values established by United States Pharmacopoeia Convention (USP) and Brazilian Pharmacopoeia (BF) for permitted concentration of elemental impurities in drugs substances. The concentration of Ba, Cd, Co, Cr and Cu in all herbal medicines are lower than the values set by USP and FB. The concentration of Pb in Calman® is lower than the limits established by BF, but higher than those established by USP. Pasalix, Serenus®, Calmasyn®, Prakalmar® and Marcacugina® have a higher Pb concentration than the values allowed by USP and BF. All herbal medications have concentrations within safe ranges for human consumption, with the exception of Calmasyn®, which has Pb over the value defined by USP for oral permissible daily exposure (PDE) for elemental impurities. The values of estimated daily intake (EDI) of metal (loid)s in adults and children obtained from the consumption of the herbal medicines are below the values stipulated by the minimal risk levels (MRLs). All the hazard index (HI) values recorded in this study were below 1. However, monitoring by regulatory agency is necessary, large doses of heavy metal may cause acute or chronic toxicities.

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Biomonitoring of Heavy Metals in the Guava (Psidium guajava) for Their Health Risk Assessment in Kluang, Malaysia

Food Science and Engineering ◽

10.37256/fse.212021691 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Chee Kong Yap ◽

Azlini Razali ◽

Rosimah Nulit ◽

Shih Hao Tony Peng ◽

Chee Wah Yap ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Risk Assessment ◽

Health Risk ◽

Human Health ◽

Health Risk Assessment ◽

Human Health Risk ◽

Daily Intake ◽

Contamination Factor ◽

World Health ◽

Target Hazard Quotient

This study aimed to investigate the concentrations of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and iron (Fe) in different parts of guava (pulps, peels and seeds) and its topsoil collected from Kluang, Malaysia, and to assess their effects on human health. The level of metals was determined using acid digestion method and atomic absorption spectrometry. The result showed that the concentrations of Cu, Zn and Pb in all parts of guava were above the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limits. However, the value of heavy metals in the topsoil were below the WHO limit. The concentration order of the metals in the guava's pulps was Fe > Cu > Zn > Pb > Ni. The contamination factor (Cf ) calculated from the topsoil were low for Cu, Zn and Ni and moderate for Pb. However, potential ecological risk (Er) of individual metal ranged from 0.25-7.58 for Cu, Zn, Pb and Ni was low. The potential non-carcinogenic health risk for consumers was assessed using estimated daily intake (EDI) and target hazard quotient (THQ). The contribution of heavy metals to the EDI for all consumers followed the order of Fe > Cu > Zn > Pb > Ni. The THQ values are all below 1 for all five metals tested, indicating no potential risk to the consumers. We suggest that the Kluang's guava is safe to consume. However, regular monitoring and human health risk assessment of heavy metals in the guava is recommended to be carried out.

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Human health risk assessment of heavy metals via consumption of fish from Kao Bay

Reviews on Environmental Health ◽

10.1515/reveh-2020-0023 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 35 (3) ◽

pp. 257-263

Author(s):

Hasnawati Amqam ◽

Dahlan Thalib ◽

Daud Anwar ◽

Saifuddin Sirajuddin ◽

Anwar Mallongi

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Risk Assessment ◽

Health Risk ◽

Human Health ◽

Health Risk Assessment ◽

Fish Consumption ◽

Human Health Risk ◽

Daily Intake ◽

Human Health Risk Assessment ◽

Risk Level

AbstractWater pollution by heavy metals due to discharge from gold mining activity has threatened the aquatic environment and human health of the community around Kao Bay. This report review explores the level of mercury and arsenic in the fish and the health risk of fish consumption within the community around Kao Bay. Fish from 10 spots in the bay were analyzed for mercury and arsenic using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. Community members around Kao Bay were interviewed for details of their fish consumption. Daily intake of metals and health risk level were also calculated. All of the fish caught contained mercury (mean of 0.2110 ug/g) and arsenic (mean of 0.422 ug/g). This heavy metal concentration exceeds the allowable level for food standard. The human health risk assessment showed that the fish caught from Kao Bay were not safe for human consumption (RQ>1). The hazard risk quotient based on cancer and non-cancer was more than one. As many as 49 of 52 people living around Kao Bay have a risk from mercury and arsenic exposure via fish consumption. The magnitude of HQ and ECR values for most fish indicates that it is not safe for consumption.

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