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BACKGROUND: There has been concern on the likelihood of contamination of infant formulae and consequent health risk in children. OBJECTIVE: This study has assessed and compared the lead and cadmium levels in infant formulae commonly consumed in Nigeria with international regulatory limits. It has also compared the estimated daily intake with Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and Proposition 65 Provisional Tolerable Daily Intake. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Lead and cadmium levels in 26 different brands of infant formulae purchased from stores in Port-Harcourt, Rivers state, Nigeria in January 2018 were assayed by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. RESULTS: The lead and cadmium levels in milk based infant formulae ranged from 0.61-3.50 mg/kg and 0.01-0.55 mg/kg respectively whereas the range of the lead and cadmium levels in the cereal and cereal mix based were 0.29-1.95 mg/kg and 0.02-0.37 mg/kg, and 0.47-2.34 mg/kg and 0.001-0.46 mg/kg respectively. The mean lead level in the milk-based formulae (1.49 0.89 mg/kg) was slightly higher than other groups of formulae but the difference was not significant (p<0.05). The mean level of cadmium (0.17 mg/kg) in milk-based infant formulae was higher than levels in cereal and cereal mix but there was no significant statistical difference (p<0.05) between the samples. The lead and cadmium level in milk, cereal and cereal mixed based infant formulae were above the food safe limits. CONCLUSIONS: The consumption of infant formulae may add to the body burden of cadmium and lead of children with attendant public health implication. Regular monitoring and safety assessment of metals contamination of these infant formulae is advised.

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Trade liberalization led to the flooding of the Nigerian markets with ''made in China'' children's toys. Information about metal contamination in toys is vital to ensure the safety of children's product. This is a pediatric health risk assessment of three toxic metals (Pb, Cd and As) in children toys purchased from Nigerian market. Thirty cheap ''made in China'' toys were purchased from stores in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Three toxic metals (Pb, Cd and As) in the thirty toys samples were determined by absorption spectrophotometry. Pb, Cd and As were present in all the toys at levels below the limits set by EU. The oral and dermal exposure risk assessment showed no significant non-carcinogenic and carcinogen health risks of public health concern. Some ''made in China'' toys imported into Nigeria may not add to the body burden of these metals in children.

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BACKGROUND: Mothers who feed their children with infant food have increased have over the years leaving a large percentage of children who consume other types of liquid food for supplementation or as alternatives. AIM: Determining the levels of essential trace metals in these formulae with the aim of ascertain their appropriateness is considered important. METHODS: Iron, zinc, manganese, chromium and cobalt in 26 infant formulae purchased from Port Harcourt city, Nigeria were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. The estimated daily intake EDI and percentage of EDI to the recommended daily allowance of these essential trace metals were used in the exposure assessment. RESULTS: The highest mean concentration of Mn, Cr and Co was found in the milk based (0.15 ± 0.09 mg/kg), (0.61 ± 0.70 mg/kg), (0.12 ± 0.32 mg/kg) compared to the cereal based and cereal mix based but the differences was also not significant. The EDI of chromium in the infant formulae exceeded the RDA. CONCLUSION: Infant formulae may add to the chromium body burden of infants in Nigeria.

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The affordability of candies and chocolates makes their consumption common especially in children. Heavy metal contamination of these candies is well known. This study has estimated health risks associated with heavy metals (HM; Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Zn) in commonly consumed candies in Nigeria. Fifty candies/sweets and chocolates/chewing gums bought from different stores in Port Harcourt and Uyo in Niger Delta, Nigeria, were processed and digested in perchloric acid. The filtrate was analyzed for these heavy metals using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Pb/Zn and Cd/Zn ratios were calculated. Daily intake, the target hazard quotient (THQ), the hazard index (HI), and the cancer risk were estimated for children. About 80% of the samples exceeded the 0.1 mg/kg permissible lead level in candies. Milk sweet had the highest Pb:Zn and Cd:Zn ratios of 0.99 and 0.40 respectively. For chocolates, the Emperor had the highest Pb:Zn (0.50) ratios and Trident had the highest Cd:Zn (0.57) ratios. The calculated percentage provisional tolerable weekly intake (%PTWI) of cadmium from consumption of chocolates and candies was higher than the Joint Expert Committee for Food Additives (JECFA) standard, and the cancer risk of lead, cadmium, and chromium ranged between 10-7 and 10-3. Consumption of some candies by children in Nigeria may pose significant health risks.

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The drive for development and modernization has come at great cost. Various human activities in developed and developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have given rise to environmental safety concerns. Increased artisanal mining activities, illegal refining, use of leaded petrol, airborne dust, arbitrary discarding and burning of toxic waste, absorption of production industries in inhabited areas, inadequate environmental legislation, and weak implementation of policies, have given rise to the incomparable contamination and pollution associated with heavy metals in recent decades. This review evaluates the public health effects of heavy metals and their mixtures in SSA. This shows the extent and size of the problem posed by exposure to heavy metal mixtures in regard to public health.

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Objective: A risk assessment and dietary exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), lead and cadmium from bread, a common food consumed in Nigeria. Material and Methods: Sixty samples of bread were collected from different types of bakeries where the heat is generated by wood (42 samples) or by electricity (18 samples) from twenty bakeries located in Gusau Zamfara (B1- B14) and Port Harcourt Rivers States (B15-B20) in Nigeria. PAHs in bread were determined by gas chromatography. Lead and cadmium were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results: Non-carcinogenic PAHs pyrene (13.72 µg/kg) and genotoxic PAHs (PAH8), benzo[a]anthracene (9.13 µg/ kg) were at the highest concentrations. Total benzo[a]pyrene concentration of 6.7 µg/kg was detected in 100% of tested samples. Dietary intake of total PAHs ranged between 0.004-0.063 µg/kg bw. day-1 (children), 0.002-0.028 µg/kg day-1 (adolescents), 0.01-0.017 µg/kg day-1 (male), 0.002-0.027 µg/kg day-1 (female), and 0.002-0.025 µg/kg day-1 (seniors). The Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) for Pb and Cd were below 1. Lead ranged from 0.01-0.071 mg/kg with 10.85 and 100% of bread samples violating the permissible limit set by USEPA, WHO and EU respectively. Cadmium ranged from 0.01-0.03 mg/kg, with all bread samples below the permissible limits as set by US EPA, JECFA and EU. The daily intake of Pb and Cd ranged from 0.03-0.23 µg/kg bw day-1 and 0.033-0.36 µg/kg bw day-1 respectively. Incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) was 3.8 x 10-7. Conclusions: The levels of these contaminants in bread if not controlled might present a possible route of exposure to heavy metals and PAHs additional to the body burden from other sources.

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In the oil-rich Niger Delta, hydrocarbon pollution and oil spillages, gas flaring and sundry anthropogenic activities constitute sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), with food contamination playing a major role in human exposure. In this study we assessed PAH levels in wild and cultivated edible mushroom species consumed by the general population from the oil producing Niger Delta, Nigeria. The concentrations of USEPA-16 PAHs were determined by gas chromatography and carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks were calculated. The concentrations of USEPA-16 PAHs ranged from 0.02 mg/kg ­ 3.37 mg/kg. The dietary intake of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic USEPA-16 PAHs (Naphthalene, Acenaphthylene, Acenaphthene, Anthracene, Phenanthrene, Flourene, Flouranthene, Pyrene, Benzo[a]Anthracene, Chrysene, Benzo[a]Pyrene, Benzo[b]Flouranthene, Benzo[K]Flouranthene, Benzo[g,h,i] Perylene, Dibenz[a,h]Anthracene and Ideno[1,2,3-cd]Pyrene) for adults, adolescents and seniors ranged from 0.00 ­ 0.05 mg/kg/day, 0.00 ­ 0.06 mg/kg/day and 0.00 ­ 0.07 mg/kg/day. The BaPeq ranged from 0.02 ­ 2.76 with margin of exposure MOE values of BaP ranging from 3,500,000 to 700,000, 3,500,000 and 3,500,000 to 7,000,000 for adults, adolescents and seniors indicating very insignificant health risk. The incremental lifetime cancer risk was within the safe range of 1.56x10-8 ­ 1.73x10-6 with the highest calculated risk found for wild Pleurotus ostreatus mushroom species from the study area.

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BACKGROUND: In continuation of our study of the biological activity of the aqueous extract of Costus afer stem used in tradomedicare in Nigeria, this work has investigated the biochemical, nephroprotective, hepatoprotective and protective effects of aqueous extract of C. afer stem on alloxan-induced hyperglycaemic albino Wistar rats. METHODS: Thirty male albino Wistar rats (150-200 g) were weight-matched into six groups of five rats each. Groups 1 and 2 were the normal (non-induced) and toxic (alloxan-induced) controls, respectively. Groups 3-6 were induced and treated with 1, 2 and 3 g/kg of the aqueous extract of C. afer stem and glibenclamide (5 mg/kg), respectively. Food and fluid intake, body weight, absolute and relative weight of organs (liver, pancreas, and kidneys) and biochemical parameters were measured. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin triglyceride, creatinine, urea and electrolyte when compared with toxic control group. The liver marker enzymes were restored in all the treated groups. The aqueous stem extract possessed hypoglycaemic effect and reversed the histopathological damage in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that aqueous stem extract of C. afer possesses both hypoglycaemic and organ protective properties.

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BACKGROUND: Toothpastes have multi-functional configurations as oral care products. They can however constitute a pos- sible source, amongst others, of toxic metal exposure in public health. Indeed, the public health impact of personal hygiene and consumer products is largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: To determine the level of toxic metals (lead, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, nickel) in toothpastes available in Nigeria, (home produced and imported), and assess the potential risk to the people. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The samples of toothpastes commonly used in Nigeria were tested. Using a market basket protocol thirty five different brands of toothpaste were used. Samples were digest by addition of 10 mL mixture of conc. nitric and hydrochloric acids (HCl:HNO(3), 3:1), followed by heating to dryness. 20 mL deionized water was added, stirred and filtered. The filtrate was made up in standard volumetric flask and lead, cadmium, chromium, cobalt and nickel concentrations were determined using the atomic absorption spectrophotometry 205A. The daily intake of metals and target hazard quotient (THQ) were then calculated. RESULTS: Pepsodent and Flodent had the highest levels of lead at respectively 23.575 and 18.092 mg/kg while Colgate Herbal had the highest nickel of 18.535 mg/kg. The daily intake estimates of all imported toothpaste samples were below the stated upper limits (UL). All target hazard quotients were also found to be below one. CONCLUSIONS: Although the UL, THQ and daily intake rates were all normal, the high levels of lead in some of the tooth- pastes an important concern to public health suggesting that pre-marketing safety studies of toothpastes may be worthwhile for the regulatory authorities.

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Recently we investigated the heavy metal hazards of Nigerian smokeless tobacco products 'STP'. Since 'STPs' are advocated as safer alternatives to cigarets, the public health implication should be ascertained. This is a risk assessment of poly aromatic hydrocarbons 'PAHs' in 'STPs' used in Nigeria. Thirty 'STPs' from different parts (South East, South West, Niger Delta and North Central) of Nigeria were studied. The 15 PAHs were assayed using gas chromatographic system (6890 series and 6890 plus) equipped with a quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (Agilent 5975 MSD) after ultrasonic extraction of the 'STPs' and clean up of the extract. Toxicity equivalent of benzo[a]pyrene concentration(µg/kg) in 'STPs'were determined. The daily exposure and the cancer risk associated with exposure to STP were calculated. Sample A1 (south east) had the highest concentration of PAH 225.84 µg/kg, while sampleA3 (North central) had the least PAH concentration of 1.09 µg/kg. 'STPs' from South East showed highest levels of PAHs. The total B[a]P TEQ of the 'STPs' from the South East ranged from 0.24 to 29.23, South West ranged from 0.94 to 14.55, Niger Delta ranged from 2.28 to 22.88, and North Central ranged from 0.11 to 9.47. The calculated risk estimates for 'STPs' from the South East ranged from 5.43 E-05 to 4.50 E-07, South West 2.70 E-05 to 1.74 E-06, Niger Delta 4.30 E-05 to 4.20 E-06, and North Central 1.75 E-05 to 2.08 E0-7. Although the calculated risk estimates seem to be within or below the the U.S. EPA cancer risk range of 1 × 10-4-1 × 10-6, the total B[a]P TEQ of the STPs suggest a more indepth risk assessment in animal model to ascertain the safety of PAHs in Nigerian 'STPs'.

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BACKGROUND: Interest is rising in smokeless tobacco as a safer alternative to smoking. Information on the heavy metal hazards of smokeless tobacco is sparse in Nigeria, as it is in most sub-Saharan Africa countries. This study assesses the heavy metal hazards of the smokeless tobacco types commonly available in Nigeria. METHODS: Using a market basket protocol 30 Nigerian smokeless tobacco types were studied. Digestion was performed by addition of 10 mL of a mix of nitric and hydrochloric acids (HCl:HNO3, 3:1); the mixture was then heated to dryness. Then, 20 mL deionised water was added, and the mixture stirred and filtered. The filtrate was made up in a standard volumetric flask and lead, cadmium, chromium, cobalt and nickel concentrations were assayed with atomic absorption spectrophotometry at 205 Å. The daily intake and target hazard quotient (THQ) were calculated. RESULTS: Chromium, cobalt and nickel concentrations ranged from 2.77-11.40, 0.01-0.03 and 0.02-0.07 µg/g, respectively, whereas lead and cadmium ranged from 0.00-2.48 and 0.01-0.17 µg/g, respectively. The daily intake of chromium, cobalt and nickel ranged from 277-1140, 1-3 and 2 to 7 µg/day, respectively. Lead and cadmium daily intakes ranged from 0-248 and 1-17 µg/day, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although there was no apparent risk when each metal was analysed and considered individually, the potential risk could be multiplied when considering all heavy metals. The high heavy metal content in Nigerian smokeless tobacco may have public health implications.

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