Abstract:
Five leafy vegetable species (Talinum triangulare,
Celosia argentea, Amaranthus viridis, Cucurbita maxima and
Corchorus olitorius) sold in Lagos markets were investigated for Cu,
Pb and Zn content by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Both unwashed
and washed leaves showed the highest amounts of heavy metals in the urban
area. Unwashed leaves showed greater difference between urban and remote
areas and among the urban sites than washed leaves for heavy metal concentrations.
Water-washing resulted in a significant (p<0.001) decrease in vegetable
concentrations of Cu, Zn and Pb. However, the levels of Cu and Zn did
not indicate excessive contamination that could be considered a serious
health hazard to the consumers.
K.A. Yusuf and S.O. Oluwole, 2009. Heavy Metal (Cu, Zn, Pb) Contamination of Vegetables in Urban City:
A Case Study in Lagos. Research Journal of Environmental Sciences, 3: 292-298.
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