Toxicological study and health risk assessments of heavy metal contents of some commercially sold beauty soaps in Owerri, Imo State, South East, Nigeria

• Authors: Martins Chidozie Ashabelem , Georginia I. Kalu , Francis Chizoruo Ibe , Oluchi Janefrances Ashabelem , Uche Godswill Nwokeke
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

It has been shown that heavy metals toxicity to humans is as a result of long term or high level exposure to pollutants common in the environment including the air, water, food and numerous consumer products such as the cosmetics and toiletries. In this study, heavy metal contents of some commercially sold beauty soaps in Owerri Imo State were determined. These items were purchased from various supermarkets at different locations within Owerri capital city. The cosmetics were analyzed for heavy metals (chromium, cadmium, lead, mercury and nickel) after digestion with concentrated acids HNO3: HClO4: H2SO4 The concentrations of the selected toxic heavy metals were determined in duplicate using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The samples analyzed contained a detectable amount of the metals of interest. The concentration of the heavy metals in the samples ranged from 0.056-0.092 ppm (Cr), 0.083-0.183 ppm (Ni), 0.034-0.080 ppm (Cd), 0.043-0.104 ppm (Pb) and 0.013-0.022 ppm (Hg) respectively. The results showed that toxic heavy metals were present in beauty soaps sold in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria, and the concentrations of the toxic metals were lower than the WHO limit. The estimated chronic daily intakes where lower than the minimum tolerable daily intakes (MTDI) for the various metals. The estimated hazard quotient (HQ<1) shows the concentration of the metal may not cause immediate significant health problem. Hazard index (HI) was < 1 (Table 5) indicating that consumers are found to be safer. The cancer risk of chromium was found to be 1.13E−4 in sample C, which is lower than the negligible range, indicating no cancer risk (CR). It is obvious from the present study that the use of some beauty soap products sold in Owerri exposes users to low concentrations of toxic heavy metals which could constitute potential health risk to users since it has been known that heavy metals can accumulate in the biological system over time and are known to induce skin problems or diseases such as cancer. Further research to better understand the sources of heavy metals in beauty soap products is recommended.

Keywords

EN

Heavy metal; beauty soap and WHO; health risk assessment

Discipline

• CHEMISTRY: CHEMISTRY

• Publisher: Scientific Publishing House „DARWIN”
• Journal: World News of Natural Sciences
• Year: 2025
• Volume: 59
• Pages: 346-357

Contributors

author

Martins Chidozie Ashabelem

• Department of Chemistry, Imo State University, P.M.B 2000 Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

author

Georginia I. Kalu

• Department of Chemistry, Imo State University, P.M.B 2000 Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

author

Francis Chizoruo Ibe

• Department of Chemistry, Imo State University, P.M.B 2000 Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

author

Oluchi Janefrances Ashabelem

• Department of Chemistry, Imo State University, P.M.B 2000 Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

author

Uche Godswill Nwokeke

• Department of Chemistry, Imo State University, P.M.B 2000 Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

References

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• [1] Oyedeji F.O, Hassan G.O, Adeleke B.B, Hydroquinone and heavy metal levels in cosmetics marketed in Nigeria. Trends Appl. Sci. Res. 6(7) (2011) 622-639
• [2] Abdel-Fattah A. Pingitore N.E, Low levels of toxic elements in Dead Sea black mud and mud-derived cosmetic products. Environ Geochem Health. 2009, 31(4), 487-492
• [3] Basmatker G, Jais N, Daud F, Aloe Vera: A Valuable multifunctional cosmetic ingredient. International Journal Arom. Plants 1 (2011) 338-341
• [4] Amit S.C, Rekha B, Singh A.K, Lodhi S.S, Chaturvedi D.K, Tomar V.S, Determination of Lead and Cadmium in cosmetic products. J. Chem. Pharm. Res. 2(6) (2010) 92-97
• [5] Liu, L., Wang, Z., Zhao, S. et al. Determination of total phthalate in cosmetics using a simple three-phase sample preparation method. Anal Bioanal Chem 410 (2018) 1323-1331
• [6] Banfalvi, G. Cellular effects of heavy metals. Springer UK, (2011), 6-13
• [7] Chanchal, D., Pharm, M, Swarnlata, M. Novel approaches in herbal cosmetics. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology 7 (2008) 89-95
• [8] Abulude, F.O, Ogunkoya, M.O, Ogunleye, R.F, Emidun, Abudule, A.I, Assessment of the content of Pb, Cd, Ni and Cr in Soaps and detergents from Akure, Nigeria. Research Journal of Environmental Toxicology 4 (2010) 202-204
• [9] Basketter D.A. Angelini G, Ingber A, Kern P.S, Menne T. Nickel, chromium and cobalt in consumer products: revisiting safe levels in the new millennium. Contact Dermatitis, 49(1) (2003) 1-7
• [10] Ayenimo, J.G, Yusuf, A.M, Adekunle, A.S, Heavy metal exposure from personal care products. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 84 (2010) 8-14
• [11] Bingol, D, Akcay, M. Determination of trace elements in fly ash samples by AAS after applying different digestion procedure. Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radioactive Transfer Journal 101 (2005) 146-150
• [12] [Aceto, M., Abollino, O. Bruzzoniti, M. Determination of metals in wine with Atomic Spectroscopy (AAS, GF-AAS AND ICP-AES). Food Additives and Contaminations Journal 19 (2002) 126-133
• [13] Gentscheva, G. D., Stafilov, T. Ivanova, E. H. (2010). Determination of some essential and toxic elements in herbs from Bulgaria and Macedonia using Atomic Spectrometry. Eurasian Journal of Analytical Chemistry 5, 104-111
• [14] Haque, Z, Rout, A, Jalil, A, Islam, B, Islam, M. Ahsan, A. Studies on the production of musabbra from Aloe vera. Journal of advanced scientific Research 3 (2012) 51-54
• [15] Chauhan, A.S, Bhadauria, R, Singh, A.K, Lodhi, S.S, Chaturvedi, D.K, Tomar, V.S. Determination of lead and cadmium in cosmetic products. Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research 2 (2010) 92-97
• [16] Dayan, A.D, Paine, and A.J, Mechanisms of chromium toxicity, carcinogenicity and allergenicity: Review of the literature from 1985 to 2000. Human and Experimental Toxicology 20 (2001) 439-451
• [17] Debjit, B, Chiranjibl, J,Y, Tripathi, K.K, And Kamar, K.P.S, Herbal remedies of Azadirachta indica and its medicinal application. Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research 2 (2010) 62-72
• [18] Al-Ashban, R.M, Barratt, D.A, Shah, A.H, Mercury contents of skin lightening creams marketedin Saudi Arabia. Journal of Saudi Chemical Society 10 (2006) 383-388
• [19] Ibe F.C, Ihenetu S.C, Njoku V.O. Ahmad A.S. Bello Y, Physicochemical, pollution, health risk, and irrigation quality evaluation of some surface water sources in Nwangele, Southeastern, Nigeria. International Journal of Energy and Water Resources, (2023), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42108-023-00273-w
• [20] Linnila, P.M. Zinc, lead and cadmium speciation in deeper water bodies. Lakes and Reservoirs: Research and Management 5 (2000) 261-270
• [21] Chen S.C, Liao CM, Health risk assessment on human exposed to environmental polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons pollution sources. Science Tot Environ 366 (2006) 112-123

• Document Type: article