Determination of Benzoic Acid Levels and pH in Commercial Herbal Decoctions Marketed in Ghana

Abstract

Excessive concentrations of benzoic acid may lead to toxic effects, such as allergic reactions, gastrointestinal irritation, or metabolic disturbances, particularly in sensitive individuals. In total, 24 herbal decoction products were analyzed in this study to determine their benzoic acid concentrations and pH levels. The aim was to determine the concentration and pH levels among the herbal decoction formulations. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was employed to determine the concentration of benzoic acid, while pH values were measured directly using a pH meter. The mean concentration levels ranged from 0.32±0.03 to 1632.33±542.34 mg/L for benzoic acid while the mean pH range from 3.02±0.03 to 7.83±0.06. The WHO sets an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of 0-5 mg/kg of body weight for benzoic acid and its salts. Samples found to contain high concentrations of benzoic acid also had low pH levels. From the results it is recommended that the products should have labels indicating the name of the preservative used and herbal products with pH less than 5.0 should have instructions that indicate either dilution before taking or rinse the mouth or should taken after meals.