Title of article :
Sweet Little Gabonese Palm Wine: A Neglected Alcohol
Author/Authors :
E. M. Mavioga, EM Hôpital d’Instruction des armées BEGIN - Service de Biochimie - Toxicologie et Pharmacologie Cliniques -Institut de médecine aéronautique et spatiale du Service santé des armées - Service de toxicologie environnementale et de chimie analytique Correspondence: Hôpital d’Instruction des armées BEGIN - Saint-Mandé, France , J. U. Mullot, JU Hôpital d’Instruction des armées BEGIN - Service de Biochimie - Toxicologie et Pharmacologie Cliniques -Institut de médecine aéronautique et spatiale du Service santé des armées - Service de toxicologie environnementale et de chimie analytique Correspondence: Hôpital d’Instruction des armées BEGIN - Saint-Mandé, France , C. Frederic, C Hôpital d’Instruction des armées BEGIN - Service de Biochimie - Toxicologie et Pharmacologie Cliniques -Institut de médecine aéronautique et spatiale du Service santé des armées - Service de toxicologie environnementale et de chimie analytique Correspondence: Hôpital d’Instruction des armées BEGIN - Saint-Mandé, France , Huart, B Hôpital d’Instruction des armées BEGIN - Service de Biochimie - Toxicologie et Pharmacologie Cliniques -Institut de médecine aéronautique et spatiale du Service santé des armées - Service de toxicologie environnementale et de chimie analytique Correspondence: Hôpital d’Instruction des armées BEGIN - Saint-Mandé, France , Burnat, P Hôpital d’Instruction des armées BEGIN - Service de Biochimie - Toxicologie et Pharmacologie Cliniques -Institut de médecine aéronautique et spatiale du Service santé des armées - Service de toxicologie environnementale et de chimie analytique Correspondence: Hôpital d’Instruction des armées BEGIN - Saint-Mandé, France
Abstract :
BACKGROUND: During the last ten years, consumption of
palm wine, a popular traditional alcoholic beverage, seriously
increases in Gabon. This sweet beverage seems to be the main
alcohol and the most drunken in low socioeconomic population.
OBJECTIVE: To have an idea of it composition and toxicity, 21
samples of palm wine were collected in the country and analysed.
METHODS: Twenty-one palm wine samples were randomly
selected from all over Gabon. Methanol and ethanol
concentrations in the samples were measured by gas
chromatography. Aromatic hydrocarbons were measured by
selected ion monitoring mode in mass spectrometry. Delection
of heavy metals was by standard techniques.
RESULTS: Gabonese palm wine contained ethanol at a mean
concentration of about 60 g.L-1, i.e. 7.5° (volume %), volatile
components such as alcohols, aldehydes, carboxylic acids and
esters and trace metals. Trace metals were present at low
concentrations below internationally recognized maximal
limits for alcoholic beverages with less than 2 μg.L-1 for
cadmium, less than 10 μg.L-1 for arsenic and for lead 15
samples with concentrations under 10 μg.L-1 and the last six
samples with concentrations between 11 and 61 μg.L-1. None
of the searched aromatic or chlorinated solvents, indicative of
refined fuel or industrial contamination, was detected.
CONCLUSION: For the parameters analyzed here, there seems
to be no significant difference in constitution between Gabonese
wine palm and others kind of palm wine produced in West
Africa. This alcohol, need to be more considered by public
health authorities and medical teams because of its health and
economic consequences
Keywords :
Gabon , alcohol abuse , palm wine , Ethanol
Journal title :
Astroparticle Physics
