Potential Human Health Risks Assessment through Determination of Heavy Metal Contents in Regularly Consumed Yogurts in Bangladesh

This study estimated the concentrations of heavy metals in regularly consumed sour, sweet and homemade traditional yogurts in Bangladesh. A total of 300 yogurt samples (sour, sweet and homemade traditional); 100 yogurt samples of each category were considered for this assay. To assess the health risks, the daily yogurt consumption rate and the value of target carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of these yogurt samples were also determined. In sour yogurt samples, detected heavy metal contents were 0.398±0.121 mg/kg, 0.774±0.372 mg/kg, 0.087±0.021 mg/kg, 0.131±0.026 mg/kg, 0.011±0.006 mg/kg, 0.031±0.005 mg/kg, 0.445±0.267 mg/kg and 0.029±0.024 mg/kg while in sweet yogurt samples, detected heavy metal contents were 0.410±0.146 mg/kg, 0.704±0.324 mg/kg, 0.082±0.028 mg/kg, 0.146±0.025 mg/kg, 0.010±0.005 mg/kg, 0.030±0.007 mg/kg, 0.460±0.265 mg/kg, and 0.035±0.026 mg/kg and in homemade traditional yogurt samples, detected heavy metal contents were 0.410±0.147 mg/kg, 1.502±0.367 mg/kg, 0.085±0.020 mg/kg, 0.120±0.024 mg/kg, 0.011±0.005 mg/kg, 0.020±0.005 mg/kg, 0.251±0.174 mg/kg and 0.025±0.021 mg/Kg for Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr) and Arsenic (As) respectively. Among the analyzed heavy metals, highest concentration of Cu and lowest concentration of Pb was detected in all yogurt types. The values of estimated daily intake (EDI), Target hazard quotient (THQ), Total THQ (TTHQ) and Target Carcinogenic risk (TCR) confirmed that, there have no chances of any kind of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks from these yogurt samples.