Evaluation of Heavy Metals in Peppers Sold Along PapaAbeokuta Highways, Ogun State, Southwest, Nigeria
MAKANJUOLA1, Olakunle Moses1, OSINFADE2, Bashiru Gboolahan2
Citation : MAKANJUOLA, Olakunle Moses, et.al., Evaluation of Heavy Metals in Peppers Sold Along PapaAbeokuta Highways, Ogun State, Southwest, Nigeria International Journal of Research Studies in Biosciences 2016,4(10) : 1-3.
The evaluation of heavy metal concentrations in five pepper samples sold along Papa-Abeokuta highways, Ogun State, South West Nigeria was investigated in this present work using standard methods. The heavy metals viz. Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Manganese (Mn), Copper (Cu), Mercury (Hg) and Zinc (Zn) were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophometry Method. The results of the analysis showed that lead (Pb) ranged from 0.02mg/100g to 0.07mg/100g; Cadmium varied from 0.00mg/100g to 0.01mg/100g; while Manganese (Mn) ranged from 0.02mg/100g to 0.05mg/100g; The level of copper (Cu) as shown by the result are; 0.31mg/100g; 0.57mg/100g; 0.60mg/100g; 0.43mg/100g and 0.73mg/100g respectively for all the five pepper samples. Mercury, though in negligible amount has highest concentration of 0.01mg/100g while Zinc (Zn) varied from 0.50mg/100g to 0.70mg/100g. The results generally revealed that level of contamination by these heavy metals on the pepper samples were very low when compared to the permissible limits stipulated by FAO/WHO (2003).