Human health risk assessment of intake Cd and Cu from agricultural soils in Mostar and Tomislavgrad

The aim of the research was to determine the total content of cadmium (Cd) and copper (Cu) in agricultural soils and to determine the potential toxicity of different intake routes for children and adults. Two locations were selected (Tomislavgrad and Mostar) where field crops were grown. Taking soil samples and determining the content of Cd and Cu was carried out according to the Instructions on determining the permitted amounts of harmful and dangerous substances in the soil and their testing methods (Official Gazette of FBiH, no. 96/22). A health risk assessment model based on the guidelines of the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA, 1996; USEPA, 2002; USEPA, 2011) was used to calculate the human health risk assessment. The measured values of the total content of copper and cadmium at the Tomislavgrad location are in accordance with the prescribed limit values. The copper content at the Mostar location was 205.90 mg/kg, which is above the limit value, and the cadmium content is in accordance with the prescribed limit values. When the HI value is less than 1, then there is no risk to human health, but if the values are greater than 1, then there is concern about non-carcinogenic risks (USEPA, 2004). The USEPA considers a carcinogenic risk in the range of 1×10–6 to 1×10−4 to be acceptable to human health. Calculations for non-carcinogenic and cancerous health risks were following the limit value

Human Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals from the Agricultural Soil in South Herzegovina

Contamination of agricultural soils can present a significant risk to human health through oral ingestion, particle inhalation, and dermal contact. The aims of this research were to determinate the concentrations, distribution and human health risk of various heavy metals in soil samples from three agricultural areas of South Herzegovina. A total number of 32 soil samples were collected and analyzed for Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Cobalt (Co), Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), and Zinc (Zn). The Hazard Index (HI) was used to assess the human health risk of the study area. For the adult and children population, the HI value for dermal exposure to Cobalt (Co) was greater than one (HI>1), and non-cancerogenic effects are therefore considered as significant for human health. Our findings impose consideration of taking risk management measures in order to reduce risk for human health from Cobalt (Co)

Cadmium translocation in the soil-tobacco-smoke condensate system in tobacco in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Duhan je biljna kultura koja se ističe brzinom i količinom apsorpcije teških metala iz tla, a naročito kadmija. Konzumiranjem duhana, teški metali se akumuliraju u organizmu ljudi, bez mogućnosti da se iz njega odstrane na bilo koji način, za razliku od nekih drugih biljnih kultura (npr. rajčica) kod kojih se ti metali mogu odstraniti iz organizma putem probavnog trakta. Autohtone hercegovačke sorte duhana (Ravnjak, VH i VH32) dugo su bile tretirane kao jedne od najkvalitetnijih, a za čiji rast i razvoj su potrebni specifični agroekološki uvjeti koji su karakteristični isključivo za Hercegovinu. U ovom istraživanju se prati translokacija Cd u sustavu tlo-duhan-dimni kondenzat kod duhana koji se danas uzgajaju na području BiH. Kako ovakvo ili slično istraživanje nije nikada prije rađeno na hercegovačkim duhanima, to su dobiveni rezultati uspoređivani s rezultatima dobivenim kod sorti Virdžinija i Berlej, koje su također bile predmetom istraživanja, a za koje postoje i literaturni podaci uzeti iz predhodnih svjetskih istraživanja. Uzorci tla i duhana uzeti su s 16 lokacija s područja cijele BiH, tj. sa svih lokaliteta na kojima se danas uzgaja duhan u BiH. Od najkvalitetnijih srednjih insercija, ručno su pravljene cigarete koje su kasnije popušene na pušačkom stroju. Na sadržaj Cd ispitivani su uzorci tla, duhana i dimnog kondenzata, a iz statističke analize dobivenih rezultata, može se zaključiti da postoji značajno kretanje kadmija iz tla preko biljke u dimni kondenzat.Tobacco is a plant that stands out for the speed and amount of absorption of heavy metals from the soil, especially cadmium. By consuming tobacco, heavy metals accumulate in the human body without being able to be removed in any way, unlike some other crops (eg tomatoes) in which these metals can be removed from the body through the digestive tract. Indigenous Herzegovinian tobacco varieties (Ravnjak, VH and VH32) have long been treated as one of the highest quality, and whose growth and development requires specific agroecological conditions that are characteristic only of Herzegovina. This study monitors the translocation of Cd in the soil-tobacco-smoke condensate system in tobacco grown today in BiH. As this or similar research has never been done on Herzegovinian tobacco before, the results are comparable with the results obtained with the Virginia and Burley varieties, which were also the subject of research, and for which there are literature data taken from previous world research. Soil and tobacco samples were taken from 16 locations from all over BiH, ie. from all localities where tobacco is grown in BiH today. From the highest quality medium inserts, hand-made cigarettes were made and later smoked on a smoking machine. Soil, tobacco and smoke condensate samples were examined for Cd content, and from the statistical analysis of the obtained results, it can be concluded that there is a significant movement of cadmium from the soil through the plant in the smoke condensate

Frequency of consumption of coffee beverages in the city of Mostar and caffeine intake

The aim of this study was to examine the frequency of consumption of coffee beverages in the city of Mostar. In 2019, an analysis of caffeine content was performed on HPLC in 10 different samples of coffee beverages. Samples of coffee were taken from the market of the city of Mostar by random selection. In addition to the High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method, the study was conducted using empirical and descriptive methods. An assessment of daily (EDI) and weekly intake (EWI) was also performed were on the base of determined values of caffeine content in 10 different coffee samples. The acute toxic dose of caffeine is not well defined, but it is considered more than 10 grams of caffeine per day for adults, while in most countries it is not recommended that more than 450 mg of caffeine be consumed per day. The samples were found to be in accordance with the EFSA Scientific Opinion (European Food Safety Authority) stating that a single dose of 200 mg of caffeine from all sources does not pose a risk to the health of healthy adults (EFSA, 2015)