Effect of the duration of use of aluminum cookware on its metal leachability and cytogenotoxicity in Allium cepa assay

Abstract

Aluminum cookware are widely used in many parts of the world. Data is increasing on the leaching of toxic metals from aluminum cookware into food and drink. In the present study, cytogenotoxicity of water boiled in three different aluminum pots (new, 3-year-old, and 6-year-old) in onion root tip's dividing cells was evaluated using the Allium cepa assay. The concentrations of Pb, As, Cd, Cu, Ni, and Al in the samples were also analyzed. Onion bulbs were grown in the boiled water samples, while tap water served as the control. Cytological and genetic analyses were carried out after 48 h, while analysis of inhibition of root length was carried out after 72 h. The results showed a significant (p < 0.05) cell proliferation and root growth inhibition compared with the control, which is dependent on the duration of use of the aluminum pots. The boiled water samples also caused modification of the root morphology as well as chromosomal aberrations which include sticky chromosomes, anaphase bridge, and disturbed spindle. The highest cytogenotoxicity was observed in the 6-year-old aluminum pot and the least in the new aluminum pot. Pb, As, Cd, Cu, Ni, and Al analyzed in the samples, with the highest concentrations in the 6-year-old aluminum pot, were believed to be responsible for the cytogenotoxicity observed in the A. cepa assay. The data of this study are indications that the aluminum pot-boiled water contains substances with the potential to be cytotoxic and cause mutations in somatic cells of A. cepa.

Global Proteomic Profile of Aluminum-Induced Hippocampal Impairments in Rats: Are Low Doses of Aluminum Really Safe?

“…The human environment is broadly polluted with aluminum (Al), the third most abundant element in the Earth’s crust, frequently found in combination with oxygen and other elements in bedrocks, soil, and sediments [ 1 ]. It is known for use in the production of household items, pans, packaging, construction, and transportation [ 2 ]; next, Al is used for vaccines manufacturing, where it performs the function of adjuvant to stabilize and preserve them [ 3 ] and also in the process of water treatment for removal of particulate materials [ 4 ]. Its exposure can be environmentally associated with acid rain, due to its high solubility capacity in acidic environments, and ultimately can lead to high levels of Al in plants, spices, cereals, vegetables, or grains, which can later be used for food products such as teas, food additives, coffee or granular products [ 5 ].…”

Trace Metal Leaching from Cookware Locally Fabricated from Scrap Metal: A Case Study of Ntungamo District, Uganda

“…This implies that even at low temperatures, there is a risk of metal exposure. This could be attributed the manufacturing defects [26] and the scrap metals which are used as raw materials [48]. At 150˚C and 200˚C, aluminium cookware leached Pb (4.00 ± 0.30 × 10 −2 mg/ml), Al (72.90 ± 0.08 × 10 −2 mg/ml) and Cr (13.20 ± 0.34 × 10 −2 mg/ml) with concentration above WHO permissible limits (Table 4).…”

Effect of pH on the Leaching of Potentially Toxic Metals from Different Types of Used Cooking Pots

“…In this study, the leaching of aluminum pot and other pots at the different pHs were done using the same pot with deionised water after each other.This process must have inhibited the leaching of aluminum. However, Alabi et al, [21] found that when water was boiled in new aluminum pots for 1 hour it leached 0.023 mg/L of aluminum. While three year old pressed aluminum pots leached 0.029 mg/L and 6 years old aluminum pots leached 0.048 mg/L of aluminum.…”

“…Previous researches conducted on the leaching of metals from different cook wares used specific food in their studies such as tomatoes sauce [15,17], fish stew [12], 3% acetic acid solution [11], rice [13], vegetables [18], fruit juices [19], beans [20], except Lar et al, [16], Alabi et al, [21] Alabi and Adeoluwa, [22] and Noemie et al [17] used water. With food substances, parameters such as pH cannot be easily monitored or varied.…”

“…With food substances, parameters such as pH cannot be easily monitored or varied. Though, Lar et al, [16] used water in their study they only determined metals leached from cast and clay pots while Alabi et al, [21], Alabi and Adeoluwa, [22] only studied Aluminum pots. Noemie et al [17] studied the effect of salty water and tomato juice on leaching from cast aluminum pots.…”