Abstract
Geophagy, also known as geophagia, is a subject of concern that falls under the emerging field of Medical Geology because of the potential health implications that might arise from the practice. It is defined as the deliberate practice of consuming geophagic materials such as rocks and soils by both humans and animals. Geophagic materials constitute of chemical elements and minerals essential to life which reflect in their geological environment. However, the practice of geophagy can be both beneficial and harmful to human health, which may depend on the nature and composition of the consumed geophagic material.
In South Africa, geophagy is a widely known practice and well-rooted in several provinces, including the Limpopo Province, where the study is conducted. However, studies dealing with the etiology of geophagy and its possible health effects from the consumed geophagic material are limited in this province. The prevalence of geophagy practices in the Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality (FTLM) area (study area) is widespread, where a substantial amount of geophagic materials can be consumed daily by a large number of residents, mostly women. Yet, no studies have been undertaken to characterize the physico-chemical characteristics, mineralogy, and geochemical composition of the consumed materials, as well as their possible associated health implications that might arise from the consumption.
In order to address the knowledge gap regarding the nature of the geophagic material consumed and its potential human health impacts in the study area, 22 geophagic samples were collected, including 3 samples purchased from the Burgersfort markets, and 19 others were collected in the field from 4 different localities. Analytical methods such as X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope - Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) were used to characterize the nature of the material including its mineralogical composition and particle morphologies, respectively, while X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) were used to characterize the geochemical (major and trace elements as well as anions) compositions. Additionally, other parameters such as physico-chemical characteristics of the consumed material including colour, pH, particle size distribution (PSD) and texture, organic matter (OM) content, electrical conductivity (EC), and loss on ignition (LOI) were also considered as they may affect the behaviour of the chemical elements during consumption of the material...