Assessment of Toxic and Essential Heavy metals in Some Commercial Olive Oils brands and their Potential Health Effects in Al Jabal Al Akhdar Region – Libya

Abstract

This research aims to evaluate the levels of some essential and harmful minerals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd) in a range of commercially available olive oils sold in the Green Mountain region of Libya, specifically Libyan, Tunisian, Italian, and Spanish olive oils. An applied analytical methodology was employed, utilizing atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) or inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy (ICP-OES), to determine and measure the concentration of these minerals and compare it to internationally permissible limits. The results also indicate a reduction in the risk to consumer health. The findings show that the concentrations of the essential minerals Fe and Zn fall within acceptable dietary ranges, while the levels of Pb and Cd remain below the maximum recommended limits for edible oils, suggesting a low direct health risk from heavy metals, where all maximum Pb levels were determined to be lower than 0.1 mg/kg, a value that is similar to what is typically recommended by many countries when establishing international standards for olive oil.