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Contamination Factor, Metal Pollution Index and Estimated Daily Intake of Heavy Metals in Some Selected Energy Drinks in Nigeria
Subject area: Science,Engineering and Technology · Area of research: Pure and Applied Physics
Abstract
This study assessed the levels of selected heavy metals and their associated health risks in commercially available energy drinks using contamination indices. A total of thirty (30) energy drink samples comprising twenty-three (23) liquid formulations and seven (7) powdered formulations were collected from retail outlets and analyzed for cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb). Liquid samples were digested using aqua regia and analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS), while powdered samples were prepared as pellets and analyzed using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF). The contamination status of the metals was evaluated using Contamination Factor (CF), Metal Pollution Index (MPI), and Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) for both adults and children. Results showed that several samples contained elevated concentrations of heavy metals above recommended limits, particularly cadmium, nickel, and lead. The highest concentrations were observed in powdered samples such as EJ and KR, with lead values of 0.2092 mg/L and 0.1754 mg/L, respectively, and arsenic levels of 0.0451 mg/L and 0.0316 mg/L. Contamination factor analysis indicated high contamination for cadmium in nearly all samples, while lead contamination was markedly elevated in all detected samples. The metal pollution index ranged from 0.12 to 4.06, with sample EJ recording the highest overall metal burden, indicating significant multi-metal contamination. Estimated daily intake values revealed that children had higher exposure levels than adults due to lower body weight, and the EDI values of cadmium, nickel, and lead in many samples exceeded permissible tolerable daily intake limits. The findings suggest that regular consumption of some energy drinks may pose potential public health risks, particularly to children and frequent consumers. Continuous monitoring, stricter regulatory control, and improved manufacturing quality assurance are therefore recommended to minimize heavy metal contamination in energy drink products.
Keywords
Energy Drinks; Heavy Metals; Contamination Factor; Metal Pollution Index; Estimated Daily Intake; Public Health Risk.
References
[1] European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). (2011). Statement on tolerable weekly intake for cadmium. EFSA Journal, 9(2), 1975. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2011.1975.
[2] European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). (2020). Update of the risk assessment of nickel in food and drinking water. EFSA Journal, 18(11), e06268. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2020.6268.
[3] Hamza Abubakar Hamza, Ishiyaku Ibrahim Babayo, Ahmadu Muhammad Aliyu, Yusuf Mohammed Auwal, Abubakar Danjuma Bajoga and Hankouraou Seydou (2026). Analysis of Heavy Metals and Health Risk Assessment of Selected Energy Drinks in Nigeria. Journal of Science, Engineering and Technology, 14:2 1-11.
[4] Hamza, H. A., Bajoga, A. D., Auwal, Y. M., & Seydou, H. (2025). Determination of some physicochemical properties, heavy metals and micronutrients of some energy drinks available in Nigeria. Communication in Physical Sciences, 12(3), 933–950. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/cps.v12i3.19.
[5] Ureso, J.,Gonzalez–Regalado, E.,Gracia,L., (1997). Trace element in bivalve Mollusks Rudita pesdecussates and Rudita pesphillippinarum from Atlantic Coast of Southern Spain. Environ.Int.23 (3), 291–298.
[6] World Health Organization (WHO). (2022a). Guidelines for drinking-water quality: Fourth edition incorporating the first and second addenda. World Health Organization.
[7] World Health Organization (WHO). (2022b). Lead in drinking-water: Health risks, monitoring and corrective actions. World Health Organization.
[8] World Health Organization (WHO), (2011). Guidelines for Drinking Water quality, 4th edn.
[9] World Health Organization, Geneva, 2011, pp. 564.
How to cite this paper
@article{1715689,
author = {Ishiyaku Ibrahim Babayo, Hamza Abubakar Hamza, Usman Muhammad Bakura, Ahmadu Muhammad Aliyu, Yusuf Mohammed Auwal},
title = {Contamination Factor, Metal Pollution Index and Estimated Daily Intake of Heavy Metals in Some Selected Energy Drinks in Nigeria},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {9},
number = {9},
pages = {3050-3061},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1715689.pdf},
abstract = {This study assessed the levels of selected heavy metals and their associated health risks in commercially available energy drinks using contamination indices. A total of thirty (30) energy drink samples comprising twenty-three (23) liquid formulations and seven (7) powdered formulations were collected from retail outlets and analyzed for cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb). Liquid samples were digested using aqua regia and analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS), while powdered samples were prepared as pellets and analyzed using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF). The contamination status of the metals was evaluated using Contamination Factor (CF), Metal Pollution Index (MPI), and Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) for both adults and children. Results showed that several samples contained elevated concentrations of heavy metals above recommended limits, particularly cadmium, nickel, and lead. The highest concentrations were observed in powdered samples such as EJ and KR, with lead values of 0.2092 mg/L and 0.1754 mg/L, respectively, and arsenic levels of 0.0451 mg/L and 0.0316 mg/L. Contamination factor analysis indicated high contamination for cadmium in nearly all samples, while lead contamination was markedly elevated in all detected samples. The metal pollution index ranged from 0.12 to 4.06, with sample EJ recording the highest overall metal burden, indicating significant multi-metal contamination. Estimated daily intake values revealed that children had higher exposure levels than adults due to lower body weight, and the EDI values of cadmium, nickel, and lead in many samples exceeded permissible tolerable daily intake limits. The findings suggest that regular consumption of some energy drinks may pose potential public health risks, particularly to children and frequent consumers. Continuous monitoring, stricter regulatory control, and improved manufacturing quality assurance are therefore recommended to minimize heavy metal contamination in energy drink products.},
keywords = {Energy Drinks; Heavy Metals; Contamination Factor; Metal Pollution Index; Estimated Daily Intake; Public Health Risk.},
month = {March},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I9-1715689}
}