Levels of Selected Heavy Metals in Wheat Flour on the Ghanaian Market: A Determination by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Abstract

Abstract:Wheat flour is an important source of nutrient and as such is widely consumed in most part of the world, as bread and other pastries. Due to its high consumption, the presence of heavy metal at high concentration would be a significant health risk. Based on the soil in which the wheat was grown and the milling technology employed in making the flour, the heavy metal content of wheat flour varies. In analyzing heavy metal content of flour on the Ghanaian market, (one made in Ghana and another made in Turkey) an atomic absorption spectrophotometric analysis of milestone acid digested flour was used with the appropriate standards. With a 9% -100.4% recovery rate, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cd, Pb were detected at varying concentrations in both flour brands, while Co, Ni, Cu, Cr, As, Hg were below detection limits. The levels of the nutritionally important elements such as Fe and Zn would be beneficial to human health, while those of the toxic element present are not likely to pose any health risk to consumers of this flour.

Effect of different concentrations of municipal solid waste on metal uptake of wheat (Triticum aestivum)

“…High level of Zn takes part in weakness of muscles, nausea and pain. Higher doses of such metals in the wheat can lead to serious health problems [7]. Industrial wastes are the chief source of the heavy metals, as they pour their all waste material in running water, lakes and stream and accelerate their amount in the water.…”

Quality of Water for Irrigating Urban Vegetable Farms: An assessment of Toxic and Essential Metals in Water from an Urban Lake

“…The Teflon beakers were covered with Teflon cups and loaded onto rotor and tightly secured using a rench or torque. The rotor was then placed in ETHOS 900 microwave oven and digested using a digestion programme [15].…”

“…Analysis of metals of interest was performed using a Varian model AA 240 FS Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer with the recommended instrument parameters and detection limits for each metal determined [15].The physicochemical parameters investigated were pH, Electrical Conductivity, hardness (CaCO 3 ) and Alkalinity, The analysis was carried out using the standard methods described by [13,16].…”

Electrochemical Determination of the Levels of Cadmium, Copper and Lead in Polluted Soil and Plant Samples from Mining Areas in Zamfara State, Nigeria

“…Contamination of food chain becomes increasingly important in a view of its role in human health and nutrition [3][4][5][6][7]. The main threats to human health from heavy metals are associated with exposure to lead, copper, cadmium, mercury and arsenic.…”