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Exposure and health risk assessment of transition metals in rice found on the Ghanaian market

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Abstract

This study investigates the concentration of transition metals in imported and local rice brands on sale in some Ghanaian markets and the biochemical influences on the health of the Ghanaian population. A comparative analysis with previous studies in Ghana reveals that levels of Fe (3.64–4.44 mg/kg), Cd (0.03 mg/kg) and Cu (14.07–38.13 mg/kg) in the current study are much lower than the 13.67–21.35, 1.67–3.01, and 14.07–38.13 mg/kg recorded for Fe, Cd, and Cu, respectively. Rice sold in the Ghanaian markets contained different transition metals of which some are essential (Zn, Cu, Mn, and Fe). The levels of transition metals, such as Mn, Zn, Cd, Cu, and Fe are in moderate concentrations, which are well within the maximum acceptable limit of the World Health Organization. This study has revealed that R5 and R9 from the USA and India, respectively, recorded hazard indices above the safe limit of 1 and can therefore have the potential to pose detrimental health complications to consumers in the long term.

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Acknowledgements

The researchers are grateful to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, for the use of their facilities for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

    Theresa Yvonne Arhin, Awewomom Jonathan, Francis Opoku & Osei Akoto

  2. Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Human Nutrition and Dietetics Unit, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

    Marina Aferiba Tandoh

  3. Food Science and Technology Department, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

    Emmanuel Adu Amankwah

Authors
  1. Theresa Yvonne Arhin
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  2. Awewomom Jonathan
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Contributions

Theresa Yvonne Arhin: conceptualization, data curation, formal analysis, investigation, methodology, writing—original draft. Awewomom Jonathan: data curation, formal analysis, methodology, writing—original draft. Francis Opoku: data curation, formal analysis, methodology, writing—original draft. Marina Aferiba Tandoh: data curation, formal analysis, methodology, writing—original draft. Emmanuel Adu Amankwah: data curation, formal analysis, methodology, writing—original draft. Osei Akoto: conceptualization, funding acquisition, project administration, resources, supervision, writing—review and editing. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Francis Opoku or Osei Akoto.

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Arhin, T.Y., Jonathan, A., Opoku, F. et al. Exposure and health risk assessment of transition metals in rice found on the Ghanaian market. Environ Monit Assess 195, 587 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-11167-z

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