DETERMINATION OF TRACE ELEMENT CONCENTRATIONS IN SELECTED CARBONATED DRINKS SOLD IN NORTHWESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

Carbonated drinks are consumed on daily basis due to their affordability, characteristic taste, and thirst-quenching ability. However, the high demand for the drinks may instigate the manufacturers to compromise the quality for their production. This may bring about possible non-essential trace elements contamination that may consequently cause serious injuries to humans. The work determined the level of trace elements such as Pb, Fe, Cu, Mn, and Ca in the selected carbonated drinks using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. The result obtained indicated the level of the trace elements sampled from Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, and Sokoto states to be ranged from 0.009 – 0.841 mgL^-1, 0.001 – 0.017 mg L^-1, 0.001 – 0.026mg L^-1, 0.09 – 0.56mg L^-1, 0.25 – 8.56mg L^-1 for Fe, Cu, Mn, Pb and Ca respectively. The results obtained were found to be within the limits set by NAFDAC and WHO. The study also showed that, sixteen out of all the samples examined have their Fe concentrations above the set standards and Pb concentrations exceeded the set limits in all the samples. Also, results indicated that the concentrations of Cu, Mn, and Ca for the samples were within the set limits. Therefore, the study suggests that the trace element concentrations in the selected drinks should be continually monitored by the appropriate regulatory agencies.