Human Health Risks Associated with the Consumption of Wild Foods and Geophagic Material Along the Great Dyke and Surrounding Areas in Zimbabwe.

Background

Wild foods and geophagic material are important in the nutrition of communities along Zimbabwe's Great Dyke, a serpentinic ultramafic (SUG) and surrounding granitic geological (GG) environment. However, the health risks associated with consumption of these in terms of toxic geogenic contaminants (TGC) is largely unknown. The study objective was to evaluate the health risks associated with consuming wild foods and geophagic materials from these environments.

Methods

Health risk assessments were determined using the hazard quotient, hazard index (HI) and life cancer risk (LCR) for 10 TGCs in wild foods and geophagic material.

Results

High human health risks (HI ≥ 1) were found in six wild foods and geophagic material under the SUG environment compared with five wild foods and geophagic material under the GG environment. Wild foods and geophagic materials exceeded the tolerable risk level of 1 × 10-4. Their LCR values ranged from 2.11 × 10-1 to 6.83 × 10-7. All TGCs had high LCR values above the tolerable risk level, except for Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn.

Conclusions

Infusion reduced the LCR values for TGCs, with only Pb in the GG environment decreasing to below tolerable risk level. Communities should apply selective consumption and avoid F. sycomorus and geophagic materials with cancer risks.