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Cadmium and lead in geophagic clay consumed in Southern Nigeria: health risk from such traditional nutraceutical

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Abstract

Geophagy is a cultural behavior, based on the recurrent intentional eating of clay soil, that is raising increasing concern as it implies multidimensional (space, time) potential risk of serious adverse health effects. This study investigated the level of toxic metals (Cd and Pb) in 20 Nigerian geophagic clays intended for both local consumption and distribution to the West Africa market. After sampling in 4 open markets in southern Nigeria (Akwa Ibom, Abia, Rivers, Imo), samples were subjected to digestion, ashing and analysis. The Pb levels in all samples exceeded the WHO/FAO maximum permissible limit of 0.1 mg kg−1 whereas 16% exceeded the Cd limit of 0.3 mg kg−1. The estimated daily intake of Pb for all samples ranged from 0.0032–0.0286 mg kgbw−1 day−1 to 0.0024–0.0215 mg kgbw−1 day−1 for children and adults, respectively. The estimated daily intakes for Cd ranged from bdl (below detection limit)–0.0010 mg kgbw−1 day−1 to bdl–0.0028 mg kgbw−1 day−1 for children and adults, respectively. In both cases, the WHO/FAO provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake is exceeded through the ingestion of these soils. Our results confirm health risks related to the geophagic practices, its role in exceeding health guidelines when considering aggregate exposure in the Nigerian scenario and body burden in developing organisms, young women, women at fertile age, and pregnant women. We discuss how geophagists consider clays as traditional nutraceuticals and how clarifying the nutraceutical role of geophagy could facilitate risk communication. Geophagic products are implicitly or explicitly marketed as dietary supplements, and as such they should be regulated (1) by labeling, and prohibition of scientifically unfounded health claims and (2) by safety standards before marketing. This is particularly critical when clays originate from countries living rapid, unplanned and uncontrolled development and dumped, like Nigeria.

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© 2016. Courtesy of the NOODLES (www.noodlesonlus.org)

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Acknowledgements

The study was performed with the support of the Nigerian NGO NOODLES (Nutrition & food safety and wholesomeness. Prevention, education and research Network, www.noodlesonlus.org).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. World Bank Africa Centre of Excellence in Public Health and Toxicological Research (PUTOR), and Toxicology Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

    Orish Ebere Orisakwe & Nnaemeka Arinze Udowelle

  2. Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Science, Rivers State University of Science and Technology Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

    Obioma Azuonwu

  3. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Madonna University, Elele, Rivers State, Nigeria

    Igweze Zelinjo Nkeiruka & Unyimeabasi Akpan Nkereuwem

  4. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria

    Unyimeabasi Akpan Nkereuwem

  5. Department of Cardiovascular and Endocrine-Metabolic Diseases, and Ageing, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy

    Chiara Frazzoli

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  1. Orish Ebere Orisakwe
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  2. Nnaemeka Arinze Udowelle
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Orisakwe, O.E., Udowelle, N.A., Azuonwu, O. et al. Cadmium and lead in geophagic clay consumed in Southern Nigeria: health risk from such traditional nutraceutical. Environ Geochem Health 42, 3865–3875 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-020-00632-0

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