J.N. JACOB

This study assessed the levels of selected heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in suya meat sold in Ugbowo, Benin City, to evaluate its safety for consumers. Ugbowo is a busy area with dense traffic and open-air vending that exposes food to contamination from vehicle emissions, dust, and smoke. Two composite suya samples were analyzed—one obtained from roadside vendors along major express routes and the other from residential areas including 19th Street, BDPA, and Edo Street in Ekosodin. The samples were oven-dried, homogenized, digested with nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide, and analyzed for heavy metals using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were extracted and determined using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS). The AAS results showed the presence of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and nickel (Ni), while chromium (Cr) was below detection in both samples. Concentrations (mg/kg) for express road samples and residential sample were Pb (4.348, 5.002), Cr (<0.001, <0.001), Cu (1.635, 0.654), Cd (4.381, 3.988), and Ni (9.578, 5.230), all exceeding WHO/FAO permissible limits, indicating contamination likely from road dust, metal grills, or fuel combustion. GC–MS analysis revealed that all sixteen priority PAHs were below the detection limit (0.000 mg/kg) in both samples, suggesting minimal formation during grilling. Overall, the results indicate that while PAH contamination was negligible, heavy metal levels were significantly high, posing potential health risks to frequent consumers. The study recommends regular monitoring of street-vended foods and improved hygiene and roasting practices among suya vendors in Benin City.

This study assessed the physicochemical quality of diesel oil sold in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, using aggregate samples collected from four local government areas (Egor, Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha, and Ovia North-East). The scope covered five key parameters—flash point, distillation characteristics, density, basic sediment and water (BSW), and colour selected for their direct impact on safety, efficiency, and compliance with standards. Diesel samples were collected in sealed one-liter containers, combined into four aggregates, and analyzed using ASTM methods (D93 for flash point, D86 for distillation, D1298 for density, D1796 for BSW, and D1500 for color). Results showed distillation ranges within specification, with initial boiling points of 160–165 °C and final boiling points of 355–356 °C, and final recovered volumes of 97–98 mL, indicating uniform volatility. Density corrected to 15 °C ranged from 0.834 g/mL (Oredo) to 0.847 g/mL (Ovia North-East), aligning with the acceptable 0.82–0.85 g/mL range. BSW content was consistently low at 0.05%, while ASTM colour values ranged from 1.0 to 1.5, all within standards. However, flash points were below 52 °C across all LGAs, failing to meet the ASTM D975 minimum, suggesting contamination or blending with lighter fractions. The findings highlight generally consistent diesel quality but raise safety concerns requiring regulatory oversight.