Journal of Bioanalysis & Biomedicine

Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Locally Produced Beer to the Population in Ethiopia

Abstract

Tadele Eticha and Ariaya Hymete

Different beer brands produced in Ethiopia were surveyed for the presence of Cd, Cu, Pb, Mn and Zn. The samples were digested in nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide, and analysed by atomic absorption spectrometry equipped with deuterium arc background corrector. The mean concentrations of metals in beer were as follows: Cd, 0.0014 mg/l; Cu, 0.0368 mg/l; Mn, 0.0954 mg/l; Pb, 0.006 mg/l; Zn, 1.5206 mg/l. The estimated daily intakes were calculated based on Ethiopian annual per capita beer consumption of 8.75 liters. The mean intakes of Cd, Cu, Pb, Mn and Zn through beer were estimated to be 0.0006, 0.0232, 0.0024, 0.0378 and 0.6076 μg/kg bw/day, respectively. The risk assessment of mean levels indicated that health risk associated with these heavy metals through consumption of beer was absent.