Impact Assessment of Vehicular Poly-Aromatic Hydrocarbon Emmissions on Cassava Leaves and Tubers along Owerri – Port Harcourt Highway, Nigeria

Abstract

Poly-aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) effluents arising from vehicular spent petroleum products on highways were assessed. Analysis of this impact on cassava leaves and tubers on highway using the method of AOAC, 1990 revealed xylene to be of highest concentration, 0.1449 and 0.1865mm/g in leaves and roots respectively. Other PAHs analyzed were found to contain as follows: acenapthylene (0.0003 and 0.0312mm/g), phenanthlene (0.0029 and 0.0003mm/g), anthracene (0.0067 and 0.0127mm/g), 1,2-benzathracene (0.0161 and 0.0126mm/g), benzo(k)fluorine (0.0001 and 0.223mm/g) and pyrene (0.0169 and 0.0329mm/g) for leaves and roots respectively. From these findings, the concentration of PAH is highest in cassava roots than leaves and this justifies its hazardous effects on humans. Therefore, environmental monitoring of poly aromatic hydrocarbons in food is imperative in evaluating the possible toxicity of the impact as well as the carcinogenic potential of these compounds to humans via intake.