ABSTRACT
The level of some heavy metals: Lead, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, and Zinc (Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu and Zn) in exposed Garri sold at Oba market and Uselu market in Benin City, Edo state were investigated. Triplicate samples of Garri were analyzed from each of the markets. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) procedure was used for the analysis. Results obtained were compared with FAO / WHO (2001) dietary allowance for trace metals in foods. A T-Test was used to calculate the ratio of the values of the concentration of metals in the test samples and reference values. The Garri samples from both Oba market and Uselu market were found to have high amount of Cr, Cu and Zn higher than the WHO/FAO acceptable limits of 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06 mg/g respectively.
They were not contaminated by Pb and Cd, as the analyzed Garri samples for both markets were found to be below the detection limits of 1mg/g and 8mg/g for Cd and Pb respectively.
Garri samples for both markets had a higher concentration of Zn (2.34 mg/g), higher than Cr (1.125mg/g) and higher than that of Cu (0.590mg/g). The elevated levels of the metals in the exposed Garri, could however be attributed to deposition from the prevalent environment laden with metallic pollutants from automobile exhaust emissions, industrial and commercial activities, combustion processes as well as uptake by the cassava plant from fertilizers added to the soil directly.
Key words: Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), and Zinc (Zn).
