Trace elements content of sudanese local snuff and its agricultural soil

Toombak is a local form of snuff widely used in Sudan. Dipping snuff is a common habit in Sudanese male subject. Many reports have related at the high incidence rate of oral cancer and other types of cancer in Sudanese subjects to this habit. trace elements such as Cu, Co, Cd, Cr, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn were measured using atomic absorption spectrometry in soil on which toombak is grown and toombak eaves. The average concentration (μg/g) of these elements in soil and toombak leaves were found to be 60.8 and 18.1 (Cu), 72.2 and 50.9 (Zn), 48.4 and 19.9 (Co), 398.6 and 211.7 (Mn), 17391.9 and 6410.7 (Fe), 16.1 and 5.3 (Cr), 27.7 and 7.9 (Pb), 7.2 and 4.8 (Cd), respectively. Soil to plant transfer factor was determined and found to be less than unity. The correlation coefficient between concentrations of trace elements in soils, and their soil-to-toombak transfer factors divided the elements into two groups, first group have inverse correlation while the second group is independent of their soil concentration. (Author)