Mineralogy and geochemistry of geophagic materials at Mfensi-Adankwame in the Ashanti region of Ghana and possible health implications

Geophagia is widespread in rural Ghana and particularly among pregnant and breastfeeding women. The perceptions of the practitioners to ingest the geophagic materials generally are not based on science and data but are hinged often on cultural and traditional beliefs and sometimes thought as substitute to treat some ailments without the use of medicine. The geophagic materials are earth products and could contain essential and harmful elements as well as materials that may have detrimental impact to human health. To assess the health risks accompanying the consumption of geophagic material, twenty geophagic materials were analyzed geochemically using Ultra Trace Aqua Regia ICP-MS analytical technique and with Qualitative X-Ray Diffraction analysis (XRD Qual) for the mineralogical phases. The results revealed quartz as the abundant mineral (average, 54.30%). The chemical analysis also revealed depletions of the analyzed elements. The health risk assessment showed the practitioners risk consuming the geophagic materials because the health risk indices for Pb and Cr were >1. Again, the substantial amount of quartz in the geophagic materials may damage the dental enamel during mastication and as well erode the gastro-intestinal lining and perforate the sigmoid colon of which the outcome will be stomach disorders