Assessment of Some Heavy Metals and Their Health Risk on Some Vegetables Cultivated in Kwadon Farmlands, Gombe, Nigeria

Aim: The present study was aimed to determine the concentration of heavy metals (Pb, Cr, Mn, Cu and Cd) in waterleaf (Talinum triangulare), lettuce (Lectuca sativa) and spinach (Amaranthus hybridus) from three farmlands.

Study Design and Place of Study: The research was carried out at Kwadon in Yamaltu Deba local Government of Gombe State, Kwadon is located between latitude 10.270ºN and longitude 11.28ºE.

Methodology: The heavy metal concentration in the vegetables was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Results: The result showed that the heavy metals concentration in the vegetables across the farms ranges from 2.0–34.4 mg/kg for Mn, 0.025 mg/kg for Cd, 1.7–23.7 mg/kg for Cr, 0.2–1.0% for Cu. The concentration of Mn and Cr are higher than the permissible limit of FAO/WHO in vegetables. To assess the health risk associated with the heavy metals concentration from these vegetables, daily intake of metal (DIM), health risk index (HRI), and target hazard quotient (THQ) were calculated. The daily intake of metals in vegetable species for Mn (0.17–2.81), Cd (2.1), Cu (0.02–0.08), Cr (0.1–2.0) are significantly higher than the recommended daily intake of metals and the upper tolerable daily levels.

Conclusion: This result reflects the risk associated with exposure for the period of life expectancy considered and the inhabitant, are highly exposed to the health risk associated with these metals.