Heavy metal transitions from cooking utensils to different solutions

Abstract

The study aimed to elucidate metal transitions from cooking utensils to the solutions at different pH. Alkaline, acidic, drinking water solutions were boiled in themost preferred cooking utensils determined by a survey. The metal concentrations were measured using ICP-MS for Aluminium, Iron, Nickel, and Lead. Theresults showed that the most preferred utensils were stainless-steel, granite, teflon and cast-iron. There was a considerable difference between the transition amounts of the metals in acidic and alkaline solutions depending on the cookware.Cooking in stainless-steel, teflon, and cast-iron lead to metal concentrations exceeding WHO guidelines in acidic and alkaline media.Granite was the safest pot to cook in all media. Different brands of utensils made of the same material showed different amounts of metals released in different environmental conditions. Choosing the right cooking utensil and standardizing the metal release is important to minimize heavy metal exposure and the related health impacts.