Phyto-Accumulation of Lead and Chromium in Common Edible Green-Leafy Vegetables Consumed in Dutse Metropolis, Jigawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Several researches have shown that the accumulation of heavy metals in green-leafy vegetables is of increasing concern due to food safety threat and potential health risks. Therefore, the aim of this research was to analyze the amount of heavy metals  accumulated in three green-leafy vegetables consumed in Dutse metropolis, Jigawa state, Nigeria. Three (3) samples of each  of the vegetables were collected randomly from two (2) different markets in Dutse Metropolis. The sample collection was  replicated twice at a week interval. The concentration of lead (Pb) and chromium (Cr) in the vegetables were estimated using  the atomic absorption spectrophotometric technique. It has been found statistically that out of the two metals analyzed, only Cr levels in SPI-UMM, CAB-UMM and LET-YTF (1.48 mg/kg - 2.22 mg/kg) did not exceed the permissible limit (2.30 mg/kg); whereas Cr levels in CAB-YTF, SPI-YTF, and LET-UMM (2.96 mg/kg - 4.44 mg/kg) exceeded the permissible limit.   Conversely, the concentration of Pb in all the vegetables from the two sampling locations (0.87 mg/kg - 1.74 mg/kg) exceeded the permissible limit (0.30 mg/kg) set by FAO/WHO.