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Chemistry Project Topics

Quality Assessment of Some Selected Toothpaste Used in Nigeria

Quality Assessment of Some Selected Toothpaste Used in Nigeria

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Quality Assessment of Some Selected Toothpaste Used in Nigeria

Chapter One

ย Aim

This work aimed at assessing the quality of some selected locally and foreign-manufactured toothpastes, used in Nigeria Markets.

Objectives

ย Theย aimย ofย thisย researchย willย beย achievedย throughย theย followingย objectives;

  1. Evaluation of some physical parameters of toothpaste (colour, moisture and volatile content, pH) using recommended
  2. Investigation of the bacteriological and microbial status of the toothpaste, using standard
  3. Investigation of fluoride concentration in toothpaste
  4. Determination of Heavy metals levels (Pb, Cd, Mn, Cu, Ni and Zn) and TiO2ย contaminationย inย toothpastesย using AASย and x-rayย Spectrometer respectively.
  5. Investigation of sodium saccharin,ย  sodium lauryl sulphate concentration in the selected toothpaste using UV-Spectrophotometer.
  6. Carryoutย correlationย analysisย toย compareย theย levelsย ofย theseย substancesย inย theย foreignย andย local
  7. Comparing the obtained results with set standards by regulatory bodies.

CHAPTER TWOย 

LITERATUREย REVIEW

Saccharin

ย Saccharinย (1,ย 2-benzisothiazolin-3-one-1,ย 1-dioxide)ย isย anย artificialย sweetener.ย Saccharin and its salts are intense sweeteners, being about 300-500 times sweeter thanย sucrose in aqueous solution (Martindale, 2002). Saccharin is not only soluble in water butย its commercially available sodium salt, used as a non-nutritive sweetener, is freely solubleย in water. Saccharin, a petroleum- based sugar substitute is used in softย drinks, dietย foodย and personal hygiene products such as lip balm and tooth paste. Saccharin derives its nameย from the word saccharine, meaning, relating to or resembling that of sugar. Saccharin isย unstable when heated but it does not react chemically with other food ingredients. As such,ย it stores well. Blends of saccharin with other sweeteners are often used to compensate forย each sweeteners weakness or faults. Saccharin is believed to be an important discovery,ย especially for diabetics, as it goes directly through the human digestive system withoutย being digested. Although saccharin has no food energy, it can trigger the release of insulinย in human and rats, presumably as a result of its taste (Just et al., 2008; Lonescu et al.,ย 1988),ย as canย otherย sweetenersย like aspartame.

History

ย Saccharin was first produced in 1878 by Constantin Fahlberg, a Chemist working on coal tar derivatives in Ira Remsen’s Laboratory at the Johns Hopkins University. The sweet taste of saccharin was discovered when Fahlberg noticed a sweet taste on his hand one evening, and connected this with the compound that he had been working on that dayย (Myers and Richard, 2007). Although saccharin was commercialized not long after itsย discovery, it was not until the sugar shortage during World War I that its use becameย widespread. Its popularity further increased during the 1960s and 1970s among dieters,ย since saccharinย is a calorie-freeย sweetener.

ย Chemistry

Saccharin can beย producedย inย various ways.ย Theย originalย route by Remsenย &ย Fahlberg (1880) starts with toluene. Sulphonation by chlorosulphonic acid gives the orthoย and para substituted chlorosulphonic acids. The ortho isomer is separated and converted toย the sulphonamide with ammonia. Oxidation of the methyl substituent gives the carboxylicย acid,ย whichย cyclicizesย toย give saccharinย free acidย (Gert-Wolfhard,ย 2005).

Saccharinย canย beย usedย toย prepareย exclusively disubstitutedย aminesย fromย alkylย halidesย viaย aย Gabrielย synthesis.

Biochemicalย data

Saccharin andย saccharin salts (sodium, ammonium,ย and calcium)ย haveย beenย inย use since theย late nineteenth century,ย saltย forms beingย more solubleย butย of the sameย sweetening power as the acid form. The absorption of ingested saccharin in animals andย man occurs rapidly. At pKa of 2.2, saccharin exists in acidic media predominantly in theย unionized form, which is the more readily absorbed form in a number of animal species.ย Saccharin is more completely absorbed from the guinea-pig (pH 1.4) and rabbit (pH 1.9)ย stomach, than from the rat’s stomach (gastric pH 4.2) (Minegishi et al., 1972). In vitro perfusion of rat stomach and small intestine with a solution of saccharin demonstrated considerable absorption from the stomach at pH 1.0 and slow absorption from the smallย intestine, (less than 9% in 2 hours) (Kojima and Ichibagase 1966). The gastrointestinalย absorption of saccharin appears to be somewhat greater in monkeys than in rats (Pitkin etย al., 1971). In monkeys, and also most probably in man, both gastric acidity and degree ofย absorption are intermediate between those of the rabbit and guinea-pig on one side, and theย rat on the other. This alsoย means that the degree of absorption of saccharin could beย dependentย onย foodย intake whichย affectsย theย acidityย ofย the gastric contents.

Itย hasย longย beenย assumedย thatย saccharinย undergoesย veryย littleย metabolicย conversion under normal dietary usage in animals and man. Studies conducted with humanย subjects suggested that some degree of saccharin metabolism may occur in man, since oralย dosesย ofย saccharinย couldย notย beย recoveredย quantitativelyย asย saccharinย inย theย urineย (McChesney and Golberg, 1973). Subsequently, more definitive studies, using 14C-labelledย saccharin demonstrated that the reduced recovery was an artifact thought to be due to theย binding of a portion of the urinary saccharin to unidentified urinary constituents (Byard etย al., 1974).

 

CHAPTER THREEย 

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MATERIALSย ANDย METHODS

MATERIALSย /ย EQUIPMENT

ย Listย ofย apparatusย andย equipment

  1. AAS: Varianย ย Fast Sequential Atomic Absorption Spectrometer.
  2. Analytical balance: Sartorius Analytical
  • Beaker โ€“50ย cm3, 100ย cm3, 250ย cm3
  1. Conical flask โ€“ 12 cm3ย , 250ย cm3
  2. Crucibles
  3. Desiccators
  • Filter paperโ€“ whatmanย ย 42ย grades
  • Fume cupboard
  1. Funnel
  2. Furnace
  3. Glassrod
  • Hotplates
  • Measuring cylinder โ€“ 100 cm3ย ,ย 10ย cm3, 5ย cm3
  • Mortar and pestle
  1. Oven:ย Schutzartย DWย 40050-IP20
  • Petri-dish
  • pH meter: Jenway 3505 pH
  • Photometer: HI
  • Pipette1ย cm3,ย 5ย cm3,ย 10ย cm3ย andย 25ย cm3.
  1. Plastic bottles for digest โ€“ 50 cm3
  • Spatula
  • Steam bath
  • UVS pectro photometer: Jenway 6405 UV/Vis.
  • Volumetric flask 50 cm3, 100ย cm3ย ,ย 250ย cm3, 1000ย cm3
  • Wash bottle
  • X-ray Spectrometer: PW 4030

CHAPTER FOURย 

RESULTSย ANDย ANALYSIS

ย Generalย Characteristicsย ofย Samples

A total of ten (10) toothpaste samples, consisting of six (6) local and four (4)ย foreign toothpastes were obtained for the study. All the samples were in molten form (gel-ย like). The toothpastes sampled were labeled T1 to T10. The parameters analyzed wereย compared with set standards were applicable and the results obtained are as reported.ย Appendixย Aย gives generalย characteristicsย ofย theย sampledย toothpaste.

CHAPTER FIVEย 

DISCUSSSION

The result obtained from the bacteriological examination (Table 4.1) shows that allย the sampled toothpaste were all sterile as no bacterial or fungal isolates were identified inย any of the sampled toothpaste. This result is as expected; toothpaste medium must notย support bacterial growth. According to the SON standard for toothpaste, the tolerable limitย for the total viable count (TVC) of microorganisms per gram of toothpaste is 300 cfยต/g. E.ย coli, Salmonella and Pseudomonas arugenisa must be absent. Hence, the result obtainedย fromย theย presentย studyย showsย thatย theย microbialย loadย ofย toothpasteย soldย inย Nigeriaย meetsย the criteriaย setย byย SON.

The pH value gives an indication of the inorganic constituents in toothpaste. Hightย acidic pH encourages the growth of mouth bacterial that causes dental carries (Oyewale,ย 2005). Recommended pH for toothpaste is between 6.50 and 7.50 (NIS, 2006). Only 60%ย ofย theย sampledย toothpasteย fellย withinย thisย range.ย Theย moistureย andย volatileย matterย constituents of the toothpastes analyzed fell within 28.03% and 46.19%. The tolerable limitย for the moisture and volatile matter in toothpaste as specified by SON is 50% (NIS, 2006).ย All the sampled toothpastes were found to conform to this specification. The summary ofย these results areย as shown inย Figureย 4.1.

Figure 4.1 shows that the pH obtained for the foreign toothpastes sampled, conform to the pH specification for toothpastes, except for T5 (5.92 ยฑ 0.001) and T10 (8.22 ยฑ 0.002) which are slightly below and slightly above the minimum and maximum specified values respectively. The average pH of the sampled foreign toothpaste is 6.92 which conform to toothpaste specification, while that of local toothpaste is 7.01 (neutral), whichย alsoย conforms toย theย pH specificationย forย toothpaste.

CHAPTER SIXย 

CONCLUSIONย ANDย RECOMMENDATION

Conclusion

ย In the present study, the pH of various brands of toothpastes analyzed ranged from 5.20 to 8.42, only six (6), out of the ten (10)ย sampled toothpastes complied with theย NAFDAC set standard of 6 to 7. The moisture and volatile matter content of the toothpasteย were also less than 50% as specified by WHO. The microbial load of the toothpastesย showed that they were all sterile as no bacterial or fungal isolates were identified in anyย sampled toothpastes and the concentration of the fluoride in the sampled toothpastes wereย withinย the specifiedย limits,ย hence complyingย toย setย standards.

Toothpastes of nowadays are a heavy mix of chemicals, some are prepared to suit aย particular need of the consumer e.g. T10, is a smokers toothpaste, which is designed toย remove stubborn stains from the tooth, hence making it stain free. T8, which is a herbalย based toothpaste, contain a lot of plant extracts. It was designed to meetย the needs ofย consumersย whoย preferย toย stickย toย naturalย products.

In any case, the daily use of these toothpastes can easily resultย in exposure toย thousands of chemicals andย many will make their way intoย the body andย remain there,ย since theย body lackย meansย toย breakย them down.ย Thisย loadย canย become a significantย contributingย factorย toย healthย problemย andย seriousย diseases.

The current investigation showed that toothpaste could serve as a source through which humans are exposed to heavy metals, most especially when ingested. The metals determined were Pb, Cd, Ni, Mn, Zn and Cu. Although lead was absent in all the sampledย toothpastes (probably because manufactures were careful during the manufacturing processย so as to avoid lead contamination), traces of cadmium were found in some.ย Cadmium isย not an acceptable ingredient in toothpaste, it only exist in some, due to its persistent nature.ย Hence, only samples T1, T3, T5, T6, T7, T8 and T9 showed traces of cadmium. It wasย absentย inย allย theย others.

Among theย differentย samplesย analyzed,ย manganese wasย found toย be atย higherย concentration than all the other test metals. This is not at all surprising as manganese isย found in common toothpaste ingredients like peppermint-herb, sorbitol and water.ย Theย concentration of manganese ranged from 9.90 ยฑ 0.0005 to 94.50 ยฑ 0.0005 mg/kg with T10,ย which is a smokerโ€Ÿs toothpaste having the highest manganese concentration. Traces ofย nickel was also found, and ranged from 2.85 ยฑ 0.0004 to 5.80 ยฑ 0.0004 mg/kg. The level ofย zinc in the toothpastes analyzed ranged from 1.30 ยฑ 0.002 mg/kg to 12.05 ยฑ 0.0001 mg/kg,ย while copper, ranged from 0.30 ยฑ 0.0002 mg/kg to 12.05 ยฑ 0.001 mg/kg with samplesย T3,T4,T5ย andย T9ย havingย veryย lowย copperย concentration.

A comparison of the level of these metals in both local and foreign toothpastes showed that the concentrations of these metals are higher in the foreign toothpastes than in the local toothpastes. Statistics carried out to compare the presence of these heavy metals in the different toothpaste brands showed significant relationship in some of the metals, meaning that, they could be from the same source.

The positive test result obtained for titanium in all the samples is not at all surprising, as it is used as an ingredient in toothpastes. It serves as whitening and ticking agent in toothpaste. All the sampled toothpastes showed some level of titanium in it, withย T4ย havingย the highestย concentrationย ofย 6.25ย mg/g.

Hence, based on these results obtained, it can be concluded that toothpastes serve as a source of human exposure to heavy metals.

Aside these heavy metals, all the sampled toothpastes tested positive for the presence of sodium saccharin and sodium lauryl sulphate. They are ingredients added to serve as sweetening and foaming agents respectively. It is important to note that these two substances are hazardous to the human health especially when orally administered. The concentration of saccharin in the sampled toothpastes ranged from 83.31 ยฑ 17.29 mg/g to 232.20ย ยฑย 11.47ย withย T2ย havingย theย highestย saccharinย concentration,ย whileย theย concentrationย ofย SLSย rangedย fromย 15.64ย ยฑย 10.11ย mg/gย toย 21.30ย ยฑ 40.22ย mg/g.

In all cases, except for microbial and lead analysis, which conform to set standards,ย the substances determinedย in the sampled toothpastes showed higher amount of theseย hazardous substances, furthermore, the analytical data recorded in the present survey isย very alarming, in the sense that the amount of each of these substances determined in theย different brands of toothpastes is not uniform, except for lead and microbial contaminationย which were absent in all the sampled toothpastes. This means that, itย is possible thatย manufacturesย ofย theseย toothpastes,ย doย notย useย theย sameย guidelines/specificationsย toย manufactureย theseย toothpastes.

Hence,ย cautionย mustย beย exercisedย when usingย toothpastes,ย particularlyย foreignย toothpastes. Vulnerable people like children, pregnant women, the elderly and sick, mustย exercise cautionย whenย usingย toothpastes.

Recommendations

ย It is recommended that a guideline be made for the permissible level of saccharin;ย SLS and TiO2ย used in toothpastes and these should be monitored from time to time toย ensure thatย toothpaste doย notย poseย healthย challenge toย consumers.

The need to stick to the directions given for the use of toothpastes most especially where children and pregnant women are concerned should be emphased.

Further studies should be conducted to include other toxic substances like triclosan,ย diethyleneย glycol, xylitol and PEG which are other harmful substances usedย inย someย toothpastes.

REFERENCES

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