Assessment of Heavy Metals in Peppers Sold in Major Markets in Osogbo, Osun State, Southwest, Nigeria

Heavy metal concentrations in four pepper samples sold in major markets in Osogbo, Osun State, Southwestern Nigeria was investigated in this research work. The heavy metals analyzed for include, Cadmium (Cd), Iron (Fe), Lead (Pb), Zinc (Zn), Cobalt (Co) and Chromium (Cr) using Atomic Absorption Spectrophometry method. The results of the analysis revealed that Cadmium ranged from 0.008±0.0009 ppm to 0.022±0.0009 ppm; Iron(0.022±0.0003 to 0.100±0.0008 ppm), Lead (0.002±0.0001 to 0.009±0.0002 ppm), Zinc (0.013±0.0003 to 0.064±0.0004 ppm) Cobalt (0.010±0.0004 to 0.036±0.0003 ppm) and Chromium (0.003±0.0001 to 0.034±0.0008 ppm) for all the analyzed pepper samples. The heavy metals concentrations in the peppers samples were significantly different at p < 0.05 level of significance among the selected markets.From the results, the levels of contamination by these heavy metals on the pepper samples were very low when compared to the permissible limits stipulated by FAO/WHO (2012). Assessment of Heavy Metals in Peppers Sold in Major Markets in Osogbo, Osun State, Southwest, Nigeria International Journal of Advanced Research in Chemical Science Page | 2 via industrial, agricultural, traffic, domestic, mining and other anthropogenic activities have contributed immensely to the high and toxic levels of these metals in the environment (Osakwe and Okolie, 2015). Heavy metals are enormouslyinsistent in the environment; they are non-biodegradable and nonthermodegradable and thus readily accumulate to toxic levels (Ahmed and Bouhadjera, 2010). Toxicity of heavy metals can damage or reduce mental and central nervous function, worsen energy level and damage to blood composition, lungs, kidney, liver and other essential organs. Long term exposure to heavy metals may lead to slowly progressing physical, muscular and neurological degenerative process in form of Alzheimer disease, Parkinson’s disease, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis. Allergies are not uncommon and repeated long term contract with some metal (or their compounds) may cause cancer (Michael, 2010). The presence of heavy metals in food substance constitutes serious health hazards, developing in their relative level (Luke, 1997). Hence, this present study aims at investigating the concentrations of heavy metals in peppers sold in major markets in Osogbo, Osun State, and their significance in relation to the health of people consuming these peppers. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS