Non-carcinogenic risk from heavy metal exposure through commercial soft drinks in Kaduna metropolis, Nigeria.

Abstract

The contamination of commercially available beverages with heavy metals poses a significant public health risk due to their widespread consumption. Urban and industrial activities can introduce toxic elements like Cadmium, Chromium, Lead and Manganese into these products. This study aimed to assess the levels of these metals in popular beverages within Kaduna Metropolis, Nigeria, and evaluate the associated human health risks. Three beverage types (coded COC, LAC, PEP) were sampled from four areas (Kawo, Tudun Wada, Rigasa, Sabo) in Kaduna Metropolis. A total of twelve samples were prepared by degassing and acidification, and analyzed for heavy metal concentrations using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). A health risk assessment was conducted by calculating the Chronic Daily Intake (CDI), Hazard Quotient (HQ), and Hazard Index (HI) for both adults and children, using established reference doses (RfD). Manganese (Mn) was not detected in any sample. The mean concentrations of other metals were found to be below World Health Organization (WHO, 2024) permissible limits: Cd (0.0001–0.001 mg/L), Cr (0.0004–0.0032 mg/L), and Pb (0.0005–0.0017 mg/L). The health risk assessment revealed that all Hazard Quotient (HQ) values for individual metals and the cumulative Hazard Index (HI) for each sample were below the safety threshold of 1. The HI ranged from 0.023 to 0.073 for adults and 0.054 to 0.170 for children. The concentrations of heavy metals in the analyzed beverage samples from Kaduna Metropolis are within internationally accepted safety limits. The health risk assessment confirms that the consumption of these beverages poses no significant non-carcinogenic health risk to the population. The findings indicate good manufacturing practices and water quality, ensuring the safety of these products for public consumption.