Overview
This study measured cadmium, chromium, copper, lead and zinc by flame AAS in ajwain, black cumin, coriander and fenugreek bought at local markets in three districts near Lake Tana, Ethiopia, and estimated health risks. Cadmium and lead were not detected in any spice, while chromium was high, from about 10 to 25 mg/kg.
Key numbers
- Cadmium and lead: “ND” for all four spices at all three sites (Table 4, p. 3).
- Chromium: ajwain East Dembia “24.85 ± 1.673” mg/kg, highest; fenugreek Takusa “9.99 ± 1.614” mg/kg, lowest (Table 4).
- Coriander chromium 10.83 to 18.93 mg/kg across sites (Table 4).
Methods (brief)
Samples were washed, oven-dried at 60 °C, ground and digested with nitric and perchloric acids at 240 °C, then read by flame AAS. With no certified reference material, accuracy was checked by spike recovery (92 to 107% for chromium, copper and zinc). Method detection limits in solution were 0.036 mg/L for cadmium and 0.22 mg/L for lead.
Evidence Fitness
Market composites from a single region, with flame AAS detection limits that are too high to show low lead or cadmium levels, and cadmium and lead recoveries that were themselves printed ND. Two fenugreek copper cells duplicate neighboring coriander zinc cells, and the text and table disagree on the site of the highest coriander copper. These spices are only a seasoning proxy for italian-dressing (no dressing was measured), so that page is not linked.