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

The content of arsenic in nectarine fruit (Prunus persica var. nucipersica Schnied.) with risk assessment for human health on area of Herzegovina

U radu su prikazani rezultati utvrđivanja sadržaja arsena u plodovima dvije sorte nektarina na tri lokacije Hercegovine (Mostar, Čapljina i Stolac) tijekom 2015. i 2016. godine. Nakon utvrđivanja sadržaja arsena u plodovima nektarina, uradio se proračun procjene rizika proračunom nekancerogenog indeksa opasnosti (Hazard Quotient Index, HQI; Indeks koeficijenta opasnosti). Na istraživanim lokacijama uzgajane su dvije sorte nektarina (Big Top i Caldesi 2000). Sadržaj arsena u 2015. godini je utvrđen samo na lokaciji Stolac. U 2016. godini na svim lokacijama je bio ispod LQO (Limit of Quantification, Granica kvantifikacije). Procjenom dnevnog unosa (Estimated daily intake, EDI) i tjednog unosa (Estimated weekly intake, EWI) arsena navedenim sortama nektarina utvrđeno je da nema akutnog ni kroničnog rizika na zdravlje ljudi.The paper presents the results of determining the content of arsenic in the fruits of two nectarine varieties at three locations of Herzegovina (Mostar, Čapljina and Stolac) during 2015 and 2016. After determining the content of arsenic in the fruits of nectarine, the Hazard Quotient Index (HQI) calculation was calculated. The research was carried out at three locations in Herzegovina (Mostar, Čapljina, and Stolac), where nectarine cultivars ("Big Top" and "Caldesi 2000") were cultivated. The content of arsenic on location Stolac was determinated in 2015. In 2016 the content of arsenic were under LQO at all locations. Estimated daily intake (EDI) and estimated weekly intake (EWI) values of arsenic in the studied nectarine varieties showed no acute or chronic risk for human health

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)