Determination and comparison of heavy metals in spices from Sabratha and Surmanmarket’s

Abstract

In recent years, food contamination by heavy metals has increased;it caused many diseases such as pulmonary and psychological diseases, hormonal disorders and venereal diseases. In this research, the elements (zinc, lead, cobalt and copper) were estimated in 5 types of spices powder like; Hotred pepper, Bezzar, Cumin, Turmeric and Al-harraratWhich used ascommon additives to the food in Libya. Commercial spices powder were collected from Sabratha and Surmancities market’s and then the concentrate of the heavy metals were measurement by using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) January 2021 . In this study, it found that the; concentration of zinc was (0.8-14.5 ppm), which is within the permissible limits of the World Health Organization 50ppm, while the concentration of lead and Cobalt(285.75 ± 93.6ppm and 568±249.6) respectively, which were higher than the permissible limits.In this study, concentration of cupper in spices samples from Sabratha markets were within the standard limit limits (50ppm). However, in this study the highest concentration (285.75±93.6 and 568.4±249.6 ppm respectively) of Cupper was found in the Turmeric and BezzarSurmanmarket’s The results of the present study revealed that an increase in toxic heavy metals in spices, which does the Libyan citizen frequently consume, and which become unsafe for consumption and a source of danger to their health.