Health Risk Assessment of Potentially Toxic Metals in Differently Packaged Soft Drinks and Malt Products Commonly Consumed in Nigeria

Some commonly consumed differently packaged soft drinks were investigated for their levels of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn. This was done in order to evaluate the effect of container materials on the levels of potentially toxic metals in the drinks and the health related short and long-term implications of regular consumption of these products. Batches of differently packaged soft drinks (in glass bottles, cans and plastic bottles) in Nigeria were purchased from wholesale stores in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) was used to quantify the total amount of metals in the acid digested samples. The study revealed that most of the analyzed potentially toxic metals were at concentrations above the recommended WHO and USEPA permissible limits. The effect of packaging materials on the concentration of some of the analyzed metals in the soft drinks was significant at 95% confident level. From the results of this study, it could be concluded that caution should be exercised regarding regular and consistent consumption of these soft drinks as such habit might constitute a significant source of exposure to potentially toxic metals.