ESTIMATION AND HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT OF SELECTED HEAVY METALS (Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu and Ni) IN CHILDREN TOYS

Abstract

The potential risk that heavy metals cause during the early stages of childhood development makes it a global health concern. The main aim of this study is to determine the concentration of cadmium, chromium, nickel-copper, and chromium (VI) to carry out the dose-response assessment, evaluating questionnaire responses given by children’s parents in Lahore, Pakistan and calculate hazard quotient (HQ) to evaluate whether concentrations are above or below permissible limit. The concentrations detected by AAS in digested samples ranged from 83.7 mg/kg to -0.087 mg/kg for Cd, 806 mg/kg to -0.05 mg/kg for Cr (VI), 1001 mg/kg to -0.008 mg/kg for Pb, 822 mg/kg to -0.07 mg/kg for Cu, and 3000 mg/kg to -0.9 mg/kg for Ni. 40% samples for Cd, 5% samples for Cr (VI), 55% samples for Pb, and 5% samples for Ni exceeded the EU limit. Based on the HQ values detected, the trend of concentration of heavy metals exceeding EU regulations was Pb > Cd > Cr (VI) > Ni. Copper did not exceed any regulation yet present in many samples. Based on data from questionnaire responses and dose-response assessment using hazard quotient, heavy metal poisoning has been confirmed as a significant hazard because there are several health problems linked with it. Once heavy

metals get into the living organisms, and the organism is exposed many times heavy metals are bioaccumulated. Hence, it can be harmful to mental health and the functioning of the central nervous system.