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Heavy metal status in cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) soils and beans: the case of Abuakwa North Municipality of Eastern Region, Ghana

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Abstract

In recent times, public concerns over the potential accumulation of heavy metals in agricultural soils and crops due to the excessive use of agrochemicals are increasing. This study was conducted in the Abuakwa North Municipality of Eastern Region, Ghana, to assess the status of heavy metals in cocoa soils and beans. Cocoa farms aged between 10 and 20 years and have received agrochemicals for at least 5 years were selected, and their adjacent forests were used as controls. Soil samples and cocoa pods were collected randomly and processed for laboratory analysis. The study discovered that across the sampling sites, heavy metal concentrations in soil were below permissible limits. However, contamination factor and geo-accumulation index results revealed that Tontro cocoa farms were considerably contaminated and moderately polluted respectively with Cu, probably due to long-term fungicide application. The concentrations of Fe (39.3–47.1 mg kg−1) and Zn (54.8–70.0 mg kg−1) in the cocoa beans across the communities were below the FAO/WHO’s safe limit of 99.4 mg kg−1 and 73.0 mg kg−1 respectively. Lead (0.03–0.06 mg kg−1) and Cd (0.12–0.20 mg kg−1) concentrations were below the EU’s maximum allowable level and Codex Alimentarius Commission’s limit of 1.0 mg kg−1 respectively. However, bean Cu content in the Tontro farm (51.5 mg kg−1) was slightly above the EU’s recommended maximum limit of 50.0 mg kg−1, possibly due to the continuous application of copper-based fungicides. The study showed that, overall, agrochemicals used for cocoa farming in Abuakwa North Municipality of Ghana did not cause serious harm to the soils and beans, since the mean metal concentrations were not alarming and guarantee public health safety.

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Data availability

The authors declare that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the paper and its supplementary information files. Should any raw data files be needed in another format, they are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

The authors declare that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the paper and its supplementary information files. Should any raw data files be needed in another format, they are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Abbreviations

FAO:

Food and Agriculture Organization

WHO:

World Health Organization

EU:

European Union

EFSA:

European Food Safety Authority

USDA:

United States Department of Agriculture

CAOBISCO:

Chocolate, Biscuits and Confectionery of Europe

ECA:

European Cocoa Association

COPAL:

Cocoa Producers’ Alliance

UNESCO:

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Mr. Divine Addo and entire staff of the Soil Science Laboratory of Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana for providing technical support, especially in the analysis of soil and cocoa bean samples. The authors also appreciate cocoa farmers in the Abuakwa North Municipality of Ghana who willingly offered their farms for the study.

The authors are grateful to Mr. Divine Addo and the entire staff of the Soil Science Laboratory of Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana for providing technical support, especially in the analysis of soil and cocoa bean samples. The authors also appreciate cocoa farmers in the Abuakwa North Municipality of Ghana who willingly offered their farms for the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, P. O. Box 8, New Tafo-Akim, Eastern Region, Ghana

    Samuel Yeboah & Jerome Agbesi Dogbatse

  2. State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China

    Michael Asiedu Kumi & Roberto Xavier Supe Tulcan

  3. Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

    Louis Addae-Wireko

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Contributions

The study conception and design were developed by Samuel Yeboah and Jerome Agbesi Dogbatse. Material preparation and data collection were carried out by Samuel Yeboah. Data analysis was performed by Samuel Yeboah, Michael Asiedu Kumi, Roberto Xavier Supe Tulcan and Louis Addae-Wireko. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Samuel Yeboah and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

The study conception and design were developed by SY and JAD. Material preparation and data collection were carried out by SY. Data analysis was performed by SY, MAK, RXST, and LA-W. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Samuel Yeboah and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Samuel Yeboah.

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Yeboah, S., Dogbatse, J.A., Asiedu Kumi, M. et al. Heavy metal status in cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) soils and beans: the case of Abuakwa North Municipality of Eastern Region, Ghana. Environ Monit Assess 196, 156 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-024-12334-6

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