Human Health Risk Assessment to the Consumption of Medicinal Plants with Melliferous Potential from the Romanian South-Eastern Region
This study presents the impact on human health by consuming medicinal herbs with high melliferous potential (HMPs) from botanical areas with different pollution levels. First, the bioaccumulation of the plants’ parts has been determined. The study assessed the potential health risks associated with...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Toxics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/11/6/520 |
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| author | Lucica Barbeș Alina Bărbulescu Cristian Ştefan Dumitriu |
| author_facet | Lucica Barbeș Alina Bărbulescu Cristian Ştefan Dumitriu |
| author_sort | Lucica Barbeș |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study presents the impact on human health by consuming medicinal herbs with high melliferous potential (HMPs) from botanical areas with different pollution levels. First, the bioaccumulation of the plants’ parts has been determined. The study assessed the potential health risks associated with the ingestion of various mineral species (macroelements—K, Ca, Mg, Na; microelements—Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, and one trace element Cd) from three types of HMPs (<i>Sambucus nigra</i> (<i>SnL</i>), <i>Hypericum perforatum</i> (<i>Hp</i>), and <i>Tilia tomentosa</i> (<i>Tt</i>)). The average concentrations of these elements were not similar even in the same type of HMPs. Nevertheless, all samples contained detectable levels of the studied elements. The average concentrations of the studied elements were very low (significantly lower than the legal limit set by the WHO). The study’s findings indicated that the potential health risks associated with ingesting the elements in HMPs were within acceptable limits for children and adults. The hazard quotient (HQ) for Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, and Cd and the hazard index (HI) for the minerals from HMPs were significantly lower than the acceptable limit (HQ and HI = 1). Similarly, the carcinogenic risk for chemical substances (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Risk</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>ccs</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) were lower than or close to the acceptable limit (1 × 10<sup>−4</sup>). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:52:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-75afc9dce7c942f7b4a3a78389b86815 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2305-6304 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:52:08Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Toxics |
| spelling | doaj.art-75afc9dce7c942f7b4a3a78389b868152023-11-18T12:54:45ZengMDPI AGToxics2305-63042023-06-0111652010.3390/toxics11060520Human Health Risk Assessment to the Consumption of Medicinal Plants with Melliferous Potential from the Romanian South-Eastern RegionLucica Barbeș0Alina Bărbulescu1Cristian Ştefan Dumitriu2Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, “Ovidius” University of Constanța, 124 Mamaia Bd., 900112 Constanta, RomaniaDepartment of Civil Engineering, Transilvania University of Brașov, 5 Turnului Str., 900152 Brasov, RomaniaFaculty of Mechanical and Robotic Engineering in Construction, Technical University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest, 124 Lacul Tei Av., 020396 Bucharest, RomaniaThis study presents the impact on human health by consuming medicinal herbs with high melliferous potential (HMPs) from botanical areas with different pollution levels. First, the bioaccumulation of the plants’ parts has been determined. The study assessed the potential health risks associated with the ingestion of various mineral species (macroelements—K, Ca, Mg, Na; microelements—Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, and one trace element Cd) from three types of HMPs (<i>Sambucus nigra</i> (<i>SnL</i>), <i>Hypericum perforatum</i> (<i>Hp</i>), and <i>Tilia tomentosa</i> (<i>Tt</i>)). The average concentrations of these elements were not similar even in the same type of HMPs. Nevertheless, all samples contained detectable levels of the studied elements. The average concentrations of the studied elements were very low (significantly lower than the legal limit set by the WHO). The study’s findings indicated that the potential health risks associated with ingesting the elements in HMPs were within acceptable limits for children and adults. The hazard quotient (HQ) for Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, and Cd and the hazard index (HI) for the minerals from HMPs were significantly lower than the acceptable limit (HQ and HI = 1). Similarly, the carcinogenic risk for chemical substances (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Risk</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>ccs</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) were lower than or close to the acceptable limit (1 × 10<sup>−4</sup>).https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/11/6/520melliferous plantspollution indicatorsstatistical analysis |
| spellingShingle | Lucica Barbeș Alina Bărbulescu Cristian Ştefan Dumitriu Human Health Risk Assessment to the Consumption of Medicinal Plants with Melliferous Potential from the Romanian South-Eastern Region Toxics melliferous plants pollution indicators statistical analysis |
| title | Human Health Risk Assessment to the Consumption of Medicinal Plants with Melliferous Potential from the Romanian South-Eastern Region |
| title_full | Human Health Risk Assessment to the Consumption of Medicinal Plants with Melliferous Potential from the Romanian South-Eastern Region |
| title_fullStr | Human Health Risk Assessment to the Consumption of Medicinal Plants with Melliferous Potential from the Romanian South-Eastern Region |
| title_full_unstemmed | Human Health Risk Assessment to the Consumption of Medicinal Plants with Melliferous Potential from the Romanian South-Eastern Region |
| title_short | Human Health Risk Assessment to the Consumption of Medicinal Plants with Melliferous Potential from the Romanian South-Eastern Region |
| title_sort | human health risk assessment to the consumption of medicinal plants with melliferous potential from the romanian south eastern region |
| topic | melliferous plants pollution indicators statistical analysis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/11/6/520 |
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