Mineralogy, geochemistry and health impacts of earth materials consumed by humans in Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, South Africa
type: CreativeWork
description: This work focuses on three main themes (clay mineralogy and geochemistry, bioaccessibility of essential nutrients and effects of eating Earth materials on human health), treated in five chapters. The first theme of the study assessed the prevalence of geophagic practice in the area. Issues examined were demography, rationale for eating Earth materials or dirt and distribution chain of consumed Earth material in the District. Purposive sampling was used to identify 438 women who practice geophagy in the area. Forty six point three percent of the women were married, 45.4% were single, 4.3% were divorced and 3.2% were widowed. The reasons they gave for geophagic practice are medicinal, quelling of nauseate feelings and control of early morning sickness in pregnancy. Clays aad soft stone are the most preferred types of Earth material. Average daily ingestion rate for pregnant women was 90 g per day while non- pregnant women consume an average of 40 to 60 g on a daily basis. Features of geophagic materials were assessed with a view to ascertain if these features could assist in the understanding of these geophagic materials to perform some of the functions that have been adjudged for human geophagic practice. Tests conducted include: colour, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), textures and occurrence of beneficial bacteria in the samples. Colour ranged from red, yellow to dark grey through various shades of brown. The pH of the geophagic materials ranges from 4.30 to I· 7.90. The values obtained for EC ranges from 8.22 µSiem to 652 µSiem while CEC ranges from 3.74 meq/l0Og to 19.78 meq/l00g. On the basis of texture, the consumed Earth materials were classified as clays, sandy clay loam and silty clay materials. Significant growths of filamentous bacteria (Streptomycete) were recorded in some geophagic mate1ials from the District. Aggregates of grey, brown and whitish bacteria colonies were observed on the rim of the plates. The third part of…
abstract: This work focuses on three main themes (clay mineralogy and geochemistry, bioaccessibility of essential nutrients and effects of eating Earth materials on human health), treated in five chapters. The first theme of the study assessed the prevalence of geophagic practice in the area. Issues examined were demography, rationale for eating Earth materials or dirt and distribution chain of consumed Earth material in the District. Purposive sampling was used to identify 438 women who practice geophagy in the area. Forty six point three percent of the women were married, 45.4% were single, 4.3% were divorced and 3.2% were widowed. The reasons they gave for geophagic practice are medicinal, quelling of nauseate feelings and control of early morning sickness in pregnancy. Clays aad soft stone are the most preferred types of Earth material. Average daily ingestion rate for pregnant women was 90 g per day while non- pregnant women consume an average of 40 to 60 g on a daily basis. Features of geophagic materials were assessed with a view to ascertain if these features could assist in the understanding of these geophagic materials to perform some of the functions that have been adjudged for human geophagic practice. Tests conducted include: colour, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), textures and occurrence of beneficial bacteria in the samples. Colour ranged from red, yellow to dark grey through various shades of brown. The pH of the geophagic materials ranges from 4.30 to I· 7.90. The values obtained for EC ranges from 8.22 µSiem to 652 µSiem while CEC ranges from 3.74 meq/l0Og to 19.78 meq/l00g. On the basis of texture, the consumed Earth materials were classified as clays, sandy clay loam and silty clay materials. Significant growths of filamentous bacteria (Streptomycete) were recorded in some geophagic mate1ials from the District. Aggregates of grey, brown and whitish bacteria colonies were observed on the rim of the plates. The third part of…
author: Momoh, Abhuh
language: en
keywords: UCTD
date published: 2013-09-17
date modified: 2026-07-27T21:58:02Z
provider: University of Venda
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Venda

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/11602/86