Epithermal instrumental neutron activation analysis assessment of micronutrients in fish, breast milk and rice using Gharr-1: case study of Southern Ghana

Abstract

The concentrations of ten micronutrients; sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), chlorine (Cl), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), vanadium (V), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), bromine (Br), and iodine (I), in polished Jasmine 85 rice, Sarotherodon melanotheron and breast milk was determined using epithermal instrumental neutron activation analysis. The rice samples were collected from farms located in Ashaiman, Afienya, Dawhenya, Aveyime, and Afife, all in Ghana; the breast milk from breastfeeding mothers from the Central Region of Ghana, and the S. melanotheron fish was harvested from the Benya Lagoon, Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem Municipality in the Central Region of Ghana. A-three millimetre thick flexible boron was used to cut-off thermal neutrons and access epithermal neutrons only. The standard reference materials used were the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)-336; IAEA-407, IAEA-350 and National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) USA SRM 1577b. Relative standardization method was used in the quantification of the elements. Recoveries of the elemental concentrations ranged from 88% to 111% of the certified values. Rice farms from Aveyime and Afife recorded higher concentrations of the micronutrients. Micronutrients in the breast milk yielded the order K > Na > Ca > Mg > Cu > Mn > I and in the rice will be useful in nutrition planning. The S. melanotheron study revealed issues associated with its consumption as it is a delicacy. This knowledge may be useful for the designing of the best management plans for Benya Lagoon’s ecosystems restoration and ensuring the sustainability of the health status of the species in the Lagoon.