Cadmium, Lead and Mercury in Fresh and Boiled Leafy Vegetables Grown in Lagos, Nigeria

Vegetables, eaten fresh or boiled, are an important diet relished in many local Nigerian cuisines and delicacies. Increasing their production has therefore become a prime focus of governments in Nigeria. In the process of production, metals capable of impairing the health of consumers are inadvertently picked up. Studies were therefore conducted to determine the presence of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) in fresh and boiled leafy vegetables grown in farms close (proximal) to highways (PS) and those distant from highways (DS). Composite samples of fresh lettuce (Lactuca sativa), fresh Amaranthus (Amaranthus speciosa), boiled A. speciosa, soil, irrigation water, and manure from farms located at the two sites were analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). The results show that the fresh vegetables grown on sites close to highways (PS) had higher levels of Cd and Pb (0.313 μg g-1, 16.933 μg g-1 for Cd and Pb respectively in fresh Amaranthus, and 0.877μg g -1, 16.833 μgg -1 for Cd and Pb...