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Chromium Exposure in the Adult Population, Consuming Different Types of Smokeless Tobacco Products in Pakistan

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Abstract

The pervasive smokeless tobacco (SLT) consumption and diseases related to its use is a hot topic for the public discussion. In this study, concentrations of chromium (Cr) were measured in different SLT products [snuff (dry and moist), mainpuri, and gutkha] offered and used in Pakistan. The current study was also designed to assess the Cr levels in the biological (scalp hair and blood) samples of male and female subjects, age ranged from 25 to 60 years, chewing different SLT products. For comparative purpose, the healthy persons of the same age group, who did not consume any SLT products, were selected as referents. The concentrations of Cr in SLT products and biological samples were measured by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometer after microwave-assisted acid digestion. The validity and accuracy of the methodology were checked by certified reference materials (CRMs). The resulted data indicated that the adult persons, who consumed different SLT products, have 2–3 fold higher levels of Cr in biological samples as compared to referent subjects (p < 0.01). The persons, who chew/sniff different SLT products, have 50–80 and 42–82 % higher levels of Cr in their scalp hair and blood samples as related to referents. The daily intake of Cr is lower as compared to the recommended value of 50–200 μg/day. It was expected that 10 g consumption of various kinds of SLT products (snuff, mainpuri, and gutkha) may subsidize 21.2–220, 17.7–122, and 18.4–273 % of the recommended daily intake of Cr, respectively.

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Abbreviations

BM:

Brown moist

Cr:

Chromium.

Cr(III):

Trivalent chromium.

Cr(VI):

Hexavalent chromium.

CRM:

Certified reference material.

DB:

Dry brown.

DBk:

Dry black.

GM:

Green moist.

GU:

Gutkha users.

MU:

Mainpuri users.

SLT:

Smokeless tobacco.

SU:

Snuff users.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, 76080, Pakistan

    Asma Akhtar, Hasan Imran Afridi, Tasneem Gul Kazi, Farah Naz Talpur, Sadaf Sadia Arain, Jameel Ahmed Baig, Noman Khan, Mustafa Khan & Muhammad Bilal

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  1. Asma Akhtar
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  2. Hasan Imran Afridi
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  3. Tasneem Gul Kazi
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Correspondence to Hasan Imran Afridi.

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Akhtar, A., Afridi, H.I., Kazi, T.G. et al. Chromium Exposure in the Adult Population, Consuming Different Types of Smokeless Tobacco Products in Pakistan. Biol Trace Elem Res 175, 312–321 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-016-0801-5

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