Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry

Evaluation of Heavy Metals Concentration in Selected Medicinal Plants (Sterculia setigera Del. and Sclerocarya birrea (A. rich.) Hochst) Collected from Bwabul Spring, Bambuka and Jalingo Low-lands, Taraba State

Abstract

Pigweh Amos Isa, Louis Hitler, Linus Mijinyawa, Innocent Amada Joseph and Oyebanji Oyetola

Analytical study was conducted on some selected medicinal plants (Sterculia setigera Del. and Sclerocarya birrea (A. rich.) Hochst) collected from Bwabul Spring, Bambuka, and Jalingo Low-Lands in order to determine the presence and levels of some selected heavy metals (Cd, Mn, Fe Pb and Zn) and also to compare the concentrations of these metals from the two locations. Results obtained from this study revealed that the concentration of elements Cadmium, Iron and Lead (0.03 ± 0.06, 4.84 ± 0.08 and 0.06 ± 0.02) mg/kg from Bwabul were lower compared to those from Jalingo Low-lands (0.21 ± 0.07, 6.03 ± 0.05 and 0.36 ± 0.02) mg/kg. On the other hand, the concentration of Zinc and Manganese (5.69 ± 0.08 and 1.87 ± 0.10) mg/kg are higher from Bwabul as compared to Jalingo Low-lands (4.29 ± 0.10 and 1.45 ± 0.00) mg/kg. However, despite the high concentrations of these elements from the two locations, they were found to be within the permissible limit set by WHO/FAO as at the time of determination.