Heavy Metals in the Sea Food from the Vicinity of the Seaport | Chapter 2 | X-Ray and Gamma Ray Spectrometers for Environmental Studies in Tanzania

 

In Zanzibar, the major source of food for a large number of populations comes from the sea like many coastal area residents. The reports show the existence of a link between seafood and toxic heavy metals in human beings. The aim of this study was to assess the metal concentration of shellfish along the Sea Port of Zanzibar. The shellfish include; oysters, mussels, clams and crabs. They were collected at the Sea Port and the concentrations were determined using Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF). Concentrations range in clams were Cr (12.3 -21.1), Mn (235.7 -293), Fe (223.9 9 -242.0), Ni (2.13 -3.30), Cu (47.2 - 48.1), Zn (4271 -5090), Cd (4.43 - 6.61) and As (1.92 - 3.26) µg/g. The range in crabs were Zn (414.8 -1050), Fe (678.1 - 855.7), Cu (45.4 - 62.6), As (31.16 - 39.47) and Pb (1.20 -1.67) 𝜇g/g. Cd, Cr, Ni, Mn and Zn were found to be higher in clams while Fe, Pb and Cu were found to be higher in crabs. In Comparison of the data from this study and that of other regions the concentration of Cr, Cu, Zn, As and Cd in different shellfish species appears to be higher than the values reported in the literature. The concentrations of heavy metals in most different species of shellfish could be attributed to water from sewage, marine activities, paints and human activities from the ship.

Author(s) Details

 

Yusuf Ismail Ally Koleleni

Department of Physics, University of Dar es Salaam, P. O. Box 35063, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Department of Physics, Muslim University of Morogoro, P. O. Box 1031, Morogoro, Tanzania.

Othman O. Haji

Department of Physics, University of Dar es Salaam, P. O. Box 35063, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

 

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-81-974388-4-4/CH2

Determination of Heavy Metal, Aflatoxin, Pesticide Residue and Microbial content of Siddha Polyherbal Formulation Veppampoo mathirai| Chapter 11 | Challenges and Advances in Pharmaceutical Research Vol. 2

Aim: Although the polyherbal siddha formulation veppampoo Mathirai is helpful at lowering blood pressure, it is unknown if it is safe. The presence of heavy metals, aflatoxins, pesticide residue, and microbiological count has yet to be determined. In the current investigation, the parameters indicated above were assessed. The goal of this study was to assess the safety parameters of Veppampoo Mathirai (heavy metals, aflatoxin, pesticide residue, and microbiological profile), with the goal of determining if the aforesaid parameters of VPM were within normal ranges as per AYUSH standards.

Materials and Methods: The formulation was tested for its safety criteria at Noble research solutions, kolathur, Chennai, accredited with ISO 9001: 2015, according to AYUSH [Ayurveda, yoga, unani, siddha, naturopathy] Pharmacopoeial laboratory for Indian medicine (PLIM) recommendations. An Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS) was used to evaluate heavy metals, and Thin Layer Chromatography was used to analyse aflatoxins (TLC). The GC/MS technique was used to assess pesticide residues, and the pour plate method was used to determine microbiological counts.

The presence of heavy metals mercury, arsenic, lead, and cadmium was found to be within the AYUSH Pharmacopoeial Laboratory for Indian Medicine Guidelines, while Aflatoxin, pesticide residues, and microbes were not detected in the sample, indicating that the formulation Veppampoo Mathirai (VPM) was toxicity-free.

Conclusion: Heavy metal levels in VPM were below the permitted limit according to AYUSH's PLIM guidelines. Aflatoxins and pesticide residues were absent from the latest batch of VPM, as were microorganisms and specific diseases. As a consequence, the current study demonstrates that the formulation is safe to use in therapeutic settings.

 

Author(s) Details:

S. M. Chitra,
Department of Post Graduate Maruthuvam, Government Siddha Medical College, Arumbakkam, Chennai-106, Tamil Nadu, India.

N. Anbu,
Department of Post Graduate Maruthuvam, Government Siddha Medical College, Arumbakkam, Chennai-106, Tamil Nadu, India.

Please see the link here: https://stm.bookpi.org/CAPR-V2/article/view/6583