Evaluation of some Nigerian staples sundried on the highways for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons level

Abstract

Background: Many reports have shown that the consumption of foods containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) may induce diseases such as lung, skin and stomach cancers because of their carcinogenic potentials.

Objective: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon levels of some three Nigerian staples namely plantain (Musaparadisiacia), cocoyam (Colocasiaesculenta) and yam (Dioscorea rotundata) usually sundried on the highways were evaluated.

Methods: The three samples were procured at two separate locations from samples sundried along Akure–Owo– Benin highway, milled into powder and chemically analysed using gas chromatography (HP 6890 powered with Hp chemstation Rev. A09.01). All analysis was done in triplicates. Results were expressed as means and compared with the recommended standard values for the various PAHs using SPSS (version 20) programme.

Results: Findings showed that all the PAH values were less than the recommended value of 3.00 e-5mg/kg except for benzo (a) anthracene (5.142e-5mg/kg) in sundried plantain, acenaphthene (8.936e-5mg/kg) and chrysene (4.859e-5mg/kg) in cocoyam, while yam contained acenaphthene (5.196e-5mg/kg), chrysene (5.145e-5mg/kg) and benzo (b) fluoranthene (4.759e-5mg/kg). The concentration of benzo (a) pyrene ranged from 4.272-6.915e6mg/kg and this was discovered in all the highway sundried food samples.

Conclusion: The amount of benzo (a) pyrene which is often used as an indicator of level of PAHs contamination in foods was lower than the recommended minimum level (3.00e-5mg/kg) in all the three products evaluated in this study but the values of other PAHs studied were appreciable.Therefore alternative ways should be used considering the carcinogenic potential of the PAHs in the foods.

Keywords: PAHs, highways, sundried, Nigerian staples