Comparative Assessment of Heavy Metals in Selected Vegetables Sold in Two Major Markets in Akungba Akoko Ondo State.
Author
Ekundayo, T. O., Adedeji, V. A., Akinbuwa, O. Oluwajuyigbe, B. M. and Ogboji S. N.
Abstract
Vegetables are edible plants which are good source of vitamins, minerals, fiber and are beneficial for health. However, these plants contain both essential and toxic metals over a wide range of concentrations. In order to compare and ascertain the levels of trace metals and meeting up with the agreed international requirements, a study to investigate four heavy metals; Zinc (Zn), Chromium (Cr), Cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Pb) accumulation in four selected vegetables; Corchorus olitorious, Abelmoschus esculentus, Amaranthus hybridus and Telfairia occidentalis bought from Ibaka and Okusa markets, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State was carried out. Fresh vegetables bought from both market on four different market days were washed with distilled water to remove attached dust particles and soil. The samples were chopped into small pieces and oven dried at 70o c. The dried samples were digested using Aqua Regia method of digestion. Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS) was used to analyze the heavy metal present in the digested samples. Data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21. Zn and Pb content in Corchorus olitorious from Okusa market were found to be higher (4.39±1.07 and 1.51±0.50 mg/kg) than that of Ibaka market (2.107±0.321 and 1.213±0.028 mg/kg) respectively. Zn, Cr and Cd in Abelmoschus esculenthus from Ibaka market (4.249±1.047, 0.411±0.106 and 0.216±0.004 mg/kg) were found to be higher than that of Okusa market (4.16±0.50, 0.32±0.04 and 0.02±0.003 mg/kg) respectively. Amaranthus hybridus from Ibaka market shows higher content for Cr (0.142±0.007 mg/kg), Cd (0.013±0.001 mg/kg) and Pb (1.333±0.057 mg/kg) while Zn (3.316±0.614 mg/kg) was found to be lower when compared with that of Okusa market. Zn (4.00±0.27 mg/kg), Cr (0.14±0.004mg/kg) and Cd (0.01±0.003 mg/kg) in Telfairia occidentalis from Okusa market were found to be higher than that of Ibaka market while Pb (1.40±0.03 mg/kg) were found to be same. This study concludes that; concentrations of the investigated metals are quite generally lower than the permissible level by FAO/WHO which makes them safe for consumption except Pb which was higher than the permissible level posing a significant health risk.
Keywords
vegetables, heavy metal, Ibaka market, Okusa market and permissible level.
Full Text:
References
Alloway, B.J. (2013). Sources of heavy metals and metalloids in soils. In B.J. Alloway (Ed), heavy metal in soils pp 11 – 50. Springer. Balkhair, K.S. and Ashraf, MAJSJOBS. (2016). Field accumulation risks of heavy metals in soil and vegetable crop irrigated with sewage water in western region of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences. 23(1):S32-S44 Bortey-Sam, N., Nakayama, S. M. M., Ikenaka, Y., Akoto, O., Baidoo, E., Yohannes, Y. B., Mizukawa, H. and Ishizuka, M. (2015). Human health risks from metals and metalloid via consumption of food animals near gold mines in Tarkwa, Ghana: Estimation of the daily intakes and Target Hazard Quotients (THQs). Journal of Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 111, 160–167. Boyd, R.S. and Rajakaruna, N. (2013). Heavy Metal Tolerance. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Chibuike, G. U. and Obiora, S. C. (2014). Heavy metal polluted soils: Effect on plants and bioremediation methods. Applied and Environmental Soil Science, 752708, 1–12. Duruibe, J.O., Ogwuegbu, M.O.C. and Egwurugwu, J.N. (2007). Heavy metal pollution and human biotoxic effects. International Journal of Physical Sciences.2(5):112-118 Ekundayo, T.O. (2022). Assessment of heavy metals in selected vegetables sold at Ibaka Market Akungba Akoko, Ondo State Nigeria. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation. 3(6):208-211. Ekundayo, T.O. and Obembe, O.A. (2025). Moss as biomonitors of vehicular emissions along Akure – Ilesa and Ife – Ibadan roads in South Western Nigeria. International Journal ofnLatest Technology in Engineering, Management and Applied Sciences. 14(12):284-290 Ekundayo, T.O., Kekere, O. and Fatoba, P.O. (2020). Heavy metal loads in selected vegetables raised with roadside soils in South-Western Nigeria: Suitability for consumption. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science. 5(5):51-54. FAO/WHO (2011). Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods. Hembrom, S., Singh, B., Gupta, S.K. and Nema, A.K. (2020). A comprehensive evaluation of heavy metal contamination in foodstuff and associated human health risk: A global perspective. In: Contemporary Environmental Issues and Challenges in Era of Climate Change. Singapore: Springer; pp. 33-63 Jabeen, F., Aslam, A. and Salman, M. (2020). Heavy metal contamination in vegetables and soil irrigated with sewage water and associated health risks assessment. Journal of Environmental and Agricultural Sciences.22(1):23-31 Jarup, L. (2003). Hazards of heavy metal contamination. British medical Bulletin.68(1):167-182 Jolly, Y.N., Islam, A. and Akbar, S. (2013). Transfer of metals from soil to vegetables and possible health risk assessment. 2(1):385–392. Kanungsukkasem, U., Ng, N., Van Minh, H., Razzaque, A., Ashraf, A., Juvekar, S., Ahmed, S.M. and Bich, T.H. (2009). Fruit and vegetable consumption in rural adults population in INDEPTH HDSS sites in Asia. Global Health Action.2:35–43. Katz, S.A. and Salem, H. (1993). The toxicology of chromium with respect to its chemical speciation: a review. Journal of Applied Toxicology.13(3):217-224. National Institute of Nutrition. (2011). Dietary Guidelines for Indians-A Manual. Retrieved from https://ninindia.org/DietaryguidelinesforIndians-Finaldraft.pdf Oluwole, S.O., Makinde, O.S.C., Yusuf, K.A., Fajana, O.O. and Odumosu, A.O. (2013). Determination of heavy metal contaminants in leafy vegetables cultivated by the road side. International Journal of Engineering Research and Development. 7(3):1-5. Pandey, G. and Madhuri, S. (2014). Heavy metals causing toxicity in animals and fishes. Research Journal of Animal, Veterinary and Fishery Sciences, 2(2), 17–23. Prasad, A.S. (2008). Zinc in human health: effect of zinc on immune cells. Molecular Medicine. 14(5-6)353-357. Raven, J.A., Griffiths, H., Smith, E.C. and Vaughn, K.C. (1998). New perspectives in the biophysics and physiology of bryophytes. In: Bates, J.W., Asthon, N.W. and Duckett, J.G. (eds). Bryology in the twenty-first century.Maney publishing and the British Bryological Society, UK. Pp 261-275. Sankhla, M.S., Kumari, M., Nandan, M., Kumar, R. and Agrawal, P. (2016). Heavy metals contamination in water and their hazardous effect on human health-a review. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences. 5(10):759-766 Sonone, S.S., Jadhav, S., Sankhla, M.S. and Kumar, R. (2020). Water contamination by heavy metals and their toxic effect on aquaculture and human health through food chain. Letters in Applied NanoBioScience.10(2):2148-2166 Ullah, N., Rehman, M., Ahmad, B., Ali, I., Younas, M., Aslam, M. S., Rahman, A., Taheris, E., Fatehizadeh, A. and Rezakazemi, M. (2022). Assessment of heavy metals accumulation in agricultural soil, vegetables and associated health risks. PLoS ONE, 17(6), e0267719. WHO (2010). Exposure to lead: a major public health concern. Geneva: World Health Organization. WHO World Health Organization (2003) Diet, nutrition, and the prevalence of chronic diseases. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; Contract No.: WHO Technical Report Series No. 916.