Heavy metals in Nigerian spices, 2016

Some of these will affect Europeans and Americans. I have made bold the things that might affect products in America or Europe.

Abstract:

BACKGROUND:
Natural spices are commonly used by the people in Nigeria. They may be easily contaminated with heavy metals when they are dried and then pose a health risk for the consumers.

OBJECTIVE:
The aim of this study was to determine the levels of heavy metals in some commonly consumed natural spices namely Prosopis Africana, Xylopia aethiopica, Piper gineense, Monodora myristica, Monodora tenuifolia and Capsicum frutescens sold in the local markets of Awka, Anambra state, South East Nigeria to estimate the potential health risk.

RESULTS:
The range of heavy metal concentration was in the order: Zn (14.09 - 161.04) > Fe (28.15 - 134.59) > Pb (2.61 - 8.97) > Cr (0.001 - 3.81) > Co (0.28 - 3.07) > Ni (0.34 - 2.89). Pb, Fe and Zn exceeded the maximum allowable concentrations for spices. The Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) of the spices varied from 0.06-0.5. Estimated daily intakes (EDI) were all below the tolerable daily intake (TDI). The lead levels in Prosopis africana, Xylopia aethiopica (Grains of Selim), Piper gineense (aka West African pepper, Ashanti pepper, Benin pepper, false cubeb, Guinea cubeb, uziza pepper), Monodora myristica (Calabash nutmeg) and Capsicum frutescens (aka Piri Piri, Kambuzi pepper, Malagueta pepper, Tabasco pepper, Siling labuyo) which are 8-30 times higher than the WHO/FAO permissible limit of 0.3 mg/kg.

Source
"Heavy Metals Hazards from Nigerian Spices." 2016. NIH website.

Heavy metals in bottled water

Abstract:

New regulations regarding the presence of contaminants in bottled water went into effect in California in January 2009. These requirements include testing, reporting, and notification to regulate the presence of heavy metals in bottled natural spring water sold in California. In the study described in this article, six sources of bottled natural spring water were purchased and analyzed for silver, arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, lead, antimony, selenium, thallium, vanadium, and zinc. All of these metals except beryllium, mercury, and thallium were detected in at least one of the bottled natural spring water sources. No concentrations were above either federal or California maximum contaminant levels but arsenic concentrations exceeded California public health goals in all six sources. Improving the California notification requirements for bottled water contaminants would result in a process more similar to the notification process for tap water and would result in better-informed consumers.

So, the rumors are true. California is doing something good. 


Source
"Heavy Metals in Bottled Water". 2011. Study on NIH website.

NN publishes 239 tests of US municipal water systems

239 samples of municipal water were taken across the US. 6.7% have toxic levels of heavy metals. 2.5% exceed EPA limits. (I don't know why they think high copper levels is a problem but it is counted as a problem.)

It's too bad they didn't check for the top 10 pesticides in use.

Get the lab test spreadsheet here.

Rollie Pollies (pillbugs, isopods, wood lice) remove heavy metals from soil

Rollie Pollies (aka rolly polly, wood lice, isopod) have this name because they are little bugs that roll up in a ball if they feel threatened. But they are not bugs at all, they are crustaceans with 7 pairs of legs. They eat dead, decaying matter and help break down stuff in the garden soil. Pill bugs like cool, shady locations, like worms, and are often found under another object, like a piece of wood or rain barrel.

Pill bugs can take in heavy metals like copper, lead, zinc, cadmium, and these crystallize in their gut.

Source
Natural News. Mar 20, 2015.

Spring brings Easter candy, bunnies, eggs, and heavy metals

Researchers at the Washington State Dept of Ecology looked for heavy metals in children's jewelry. They looked for cadmium, lead, antimony, arsenic, cobalt, mercury, and molybdenum. Lead can be absorbed through the skin although the more common route of exposure is ingestion. But lead causes irreversible brain damage.

Washington law restricts cadmium levels to 40ppm and lead levels to 90ppm. Manufacturers also must inform Washington state if any product contains these metals. Children's products that contain cadmium and lead are also regulated by the Consumer Products Safety Commission.  159 products were broken down into 893 components. A broad range of jewelry products were purchased.

All samples contained at least one of the heavy metals.

Percent of items that contained a heavy metal:

• Antimony: 47%. 
• Arsenic: 39%. 
• Cadmium: 68%. Results ranged from < 1ppm to 984,000ppm. One dress necklace was 98.4% cadmium.
• Cobalt: 76%.
• Lead: 97%. Some items contained 10.7% lead.
• Mercury: 29%. 
• Molybdenum: 61%.

There are 2 major problems here:

• Manufacturers are breaking the law. 
• Law enforcement is not enforcing the law. 

Source
Sekerak, Sam. Cadmium and other metals in children's jewelry. Washington State Dept of Ecology. 2015. Link to PDF.