Location of Planting Dependent Contamination of Fluted Pumpkin (Telfeiria Ocidentalis) Leaves with Heavy Metals

Abstract

Fluted pumpkin (Telfeiria occidentalis) is one of the important edible vegetables in most tropical regions in Africa. Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in leafy vegetables is known to be a common occurrence, depending on where they are planted. Heavy metals accumulation in fluted pumpkin (Telfeiria ocidentalis) leaves, harvested from gardens located at 20 meters distance away from traffic-congested highways (TCH), automobile mechanic workshops (AMW), refueling service stations (RSS) and rural forest farmlands (RFF) in two Southern Nigerian States was assessed. Significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) levels of Pb, Ni, Mn, Cd, and Zn accumulated in the vegetable leaves from TCH, AMW and RSS, compared to the leaves from RFF. However, the level of these heavy metals accumulated in the leaves from TCH, AMW and RSS were within the same statistical range, and increased insignificantly (P ≥ 0.05) in the order: AMW > TCH > RSS. This study showed that planting leafy vegetables at a distance within 20 meters from to TCH, AMW and RSS exposes the vegetables to the risk of heavy metals bioaccumulation and contamination; concluding that the vegetables grown within the investigated distance in these areas may be hazardous for human consumption.