Heavy Metal Contamination and Health Risk Assessment of Packaged Fruit Juices Sold in Benin City, Nigeria
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Abstract
This study assessed the concentrations of selected heavy metals; zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and manganese (Mn) in six commercially available fruit juices sold in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. Samples of Chivita Exotic, Chivita Active, Frutta, Mr. Fruit, Caprison, and Ribena were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) after wet acid digestion. The mean concentrations of Cu, Mn, and Zn across the samples ranged from 0.000–0.007 mg/L, 0.000–0.200 mg/L, and 0.000–0.100 mg/L, respectively. All values were below the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limits of 2, 0.08 and 3mg/L for Cu, Mn and Zn in fruit juices, respectively. However, health risk assessment based on Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) and Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) revealed that while most values were within safe limits, some samples exhibited THQ values exceeding 1, particularly for adults, indicating potential non-carcinogenic risks with prolonged consumption. The results suggest that although the fruit juices analyzed are generally safe for human consumption, continuous monitoring and strict adherence to production quality standards are essential to prevent heavy-metal contamination and protect public health.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Enuneku Alex, Ogbomida Emmanuel, Izebere Bright, Onaghise Orobosa (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Enuneku Alex, Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, PMB 1154, Benin City, Nigeria.
Laboratory for Ecotoxicology and Environmental Forensics, University of Benin, PMB 1154, Benin City, Nigeria.
Ogbomida Emmanuel, Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, PMB 1154, Benin City, Nigeria.
Laboratory for Ecotoxicology and Environmental Forensics, University of Benin, PMB 1154, Benin City, Nigeria.
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