Determination of heavy metals in some selected varieties of cassava cultivated in Jalingo, Taraba state

The increase in heavy metals concentrations in foods over the allowed limits by World Health Organization (WHO) may cause toxic effects in individuals consuming them. The analysis of heavy metals concentration in cassava sourced from one farm each from the two study locations were carried out. The representative samples of the three different varieties of cassava were washed and dried in an oven at 60 oC. The dried samples were ground into homogeneous powdered. the representative sample was further ashed then digested using aqua regia. The concentration of the heavy metals in various filtrate from the digested samples were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). The results showed that the concentrations of 0.940+0.004 µg/g 0.011+0.004 µg/g of lead in improved variety in college of agriculture was greater compared to 0.010+0.005 µg/g Dankasa and 0.060+0.19 µg/g Shiga banza varieties. Also, mean concentrations of 0.015 µg/g of lead and 0.297 µg/g of zinc were detected in the flours of all the three cassava varieties.  It was concluded that the concentrations of the heavy metals (lead and Zinc) obtained from the analysis of the three cassava varieties falls within the daily recommended concentrations of the metal elements and high concentrations of the heavy metals were found in the peels.