ASSESSMENT OF SELECTED HEAVY METALS CONCENTRATIONS IN FRESH FRUITS AND HEALTH IMPLICATIONS TO CONSUMERS IN ELDORET TOWN, KENYA

Abstract

This study assessed levels of selected heavy metals (Lead, Chromium and Cadmium) in oranges and mangoes sold in Eldoret town and their health implications to consumers. A total of one hundred and eighty (180) samples were collected for analysis from randomly selected market sites within Eldoret town. Samples were wet digested using a mixture of 1:3 (65% HCl: HNO3) and analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer version 200. One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to test the significance of selected heavy metal levels in consideration of market sites at 5% significance level. There was insignificant variance in mean chromium levels in mango fruits among market sites (f=2.1, f=3, p=0.10) with the highest mean level occurring at 2.43±0.24 mg/kg. Lead levels in orange fruits were significant (f=13.3, df=3, p=0.00) with the highest mean level occurring at 0.65±0.03 mg/kg. Cadmium levels were significant in mango fruits among market sites (f=6.5, df=3, p=0.00) with the highest level at 0.09±0.05 mg/kg. Risk Assessment in terms of values of Daily Intake of Metal (D.I.M) had chromium levels in mango fruits with the highest at 0.05mg/day, lead in orange fruits was at 0.02mg/day with the least D.I.M occurring in cadmium levels in mango fruits at 0.002mg/day. Mango and orange fruits sold in Eldoret town posed no health risks to consumers based on their D.I.M levels, as the values were within Provisional Daily Tolerable Intake standards of World Health Organization (WHO). The elevated chromium D.I.M levels in mango fruits in this study meant that environment in which mango fruits are grown were high in chromium content. There is need to initiate and sustain continued monitoring of heavy metals in fruits and food sold to consumers due to their different sources where contamination of heavy metals varies to ascertain food safety.