Abstract

POTENTIAL HUMAN HEALTH RISKS ASSESSMENT THROUGH DETERMINATION OF HEAVY METAL CONTENTS IN REGULARLY CONSUMED YOGURTS IN LIBYA

*Jameelah Abdullah Hasan and Hamad M. Adress. Hasan

ABSTRACT

This study estimated the concentrations of heavy metals in regularly consumed sour, sweet and homemade traditional yogurts in Libya. Eight yogurt samples were considered for this assay. To assess the health risks, the daily yogurt consumption rate and the value of target carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of these yogurt samples were also determined. In sour yogurt samples, detected heavy metal contents were observed that, all of the analyzed yogurt samples were contaminated with heavy metals. Among the heavy metals, Cu was detected in highest concentration. Among the analyzed heavy metals, highest concentration of Cu and lowest concentration of Pb was detected in all yogurt types. The values of estimated daily intake (EDI), Target hazard quotient (THQ), Total THQ (TTHQ) and Target Carcinogenic risk (TCR) confirmed that, there have no chances of any kind of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks from these yogurt samples.

Keywords: Health Risks, Heavy Metals, yogurt.