POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHS) IN THE FRUITS OF Cucumis sativus FROM TWO MARKETS WITHIN ABA METROPOLIS

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated in the fruits of Cucumis sativus obtained from Ahiaohuru and Ehere markets within Aba metropolis. C. sativus obtained from each of these markets was divided into three portions. The first portion was not washed (UW), the second portion was washed with tap water (WTW) while the last portion was washed with an aqueous solution of sodium chloride (WSS) before drying, milling and extraction procedures were applied. Quantification of the PAHs was done using a Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) technique. Eighteen PAHs were analyzed and C. sativus samples from Ahiaohuru market gave a total PAHs content of 30.45, 25.65 and 2.97 mg kg-1 for UW, WTW and WSS, respectively. The samples from Ehere market gave 29.88, 18.82 and 3.06 mg kg-1 for UW, WTW and WSS, respectively. The results obtained from this research indicates that the level of PAHs content in the studied samples decreased when washed with tap water and further decreased significantly when washed with aqueous solution of sodium chloride. From the risk assessment of ?PAH4 (the sum of benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene and chrysene) in the sample, there was no risk associated with the consumption of the fruity samples. It is however, advisable to wash fruity vegetables with a salt solution as it would reduce the presence of PAHs in them better than washing with tap water alone.