Journal of Nutrition & Food Sciences
Open Access

Abstract

Cadmium and Lead Levels in Some Vegetables Sold in Abidjan and Estimated Dietary Intakes in the Ivorian Adult

Koffi KM, Kouadio AI, Biego GHM, Saki SJ, Ake AY and Kouadio LP

This study was conducted after the dumping of toxic waste in Abidjan by the ‘’Probo Koala’’. It aimed to determine the level of cadmium and lead in some Abidjan markets vegetables and to assess the dietary intake in the Ivorian adult. To this end, 648 samples of some vegetables were collected from markets in the district of Abidjan during the year 2009 according to the method of the consumer basket. These samples, after wet mineralization were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The average concentration of cadmium is 25.8 ± 15.5 μg/kg. For lead, the concentration is 105.5 ± 80.0 μg/kg. The weekly intakes were estimated at 13.9 ± 8.35 μg/week and 56.9 ± 43.12 μg/week, respectively for cadmium and lead, that is 3.31% and 3.79% of the Tolerable Weekly Intake of these micro pollutants. However, for an adult Ivorian eating mainly vegetables the associated health risks were much higher because the estimated intakes would be 188.8 ± 113.4 and 771.9 ± 585.4 μg/week, respectively for cadmium and lead, which would represent 44.9% and 51.5% of the tolerable weekly intake of these metals.