Quantification of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Some Heavy Metals in Two Leafy Vegetables Grown in Aba Metropolis

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals were investigated in the leaves of Talinum triangulare and Piper guineense grown near Afule, Ahiaohuru and Good-morning markets within the city of Aba. Quantification of the PAHs and heavy metals (Pb, Cr, Cd, Co, V, Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Al) were done using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry, respectively. Afule samples gave (mg kg(-1) PAHs) 12.11, 5.70; Ahiaohuru samples gave (mg kg(-1) PAHs) 7.20, 407.79; Good-morning market samples gave (mg kg(-1) PAHs) 22.72, 18.76 while the control samples from Ohanku village gave (mg kg(-1) PAHs) 0.27, 9.03 for T. triangulare and P. guineense leaf samples respectively. The range of values of some of the most notorious PAHs detected at the four different locations were benzo[b]fluoranthene (0.62 +/- 0.03-0.93 +/- 0.02 and 0.04 +/- 0.01-152.20 +/- 2.53 mg kg(-1) PAHs), benzo[k]fluoranthene (0.12 +/- 0.01 and 0.99 +/- 0.09-72.82 +/- 3.34 mg kg(-1) PAHs), benzo[a]pyrene (0.12 +/- 0.01-1.80 +/- 0.07 and 0.89 +/- 0.04-81.29 +/- 2.50 mg kg(-1) PAHs), dibeno[a,h]anthracene (0.08 +/- 0.01-1.84 +/- 0.05 and 0.12 +/- 0.05-38.18 +/- 1.77 mg kg(-1) PAHs) and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene (0.07 +/- 0.02-1.92 +/- 0.07 and 0.05 +/- 0.01-37.49 +/- 2.28 mg kg(-1) PAHs) for T. triangulare and P. guineense leaf samples respectively. The concentration of heavy metals in the samples was found to be high. The obtained results indicated that there were PAHs and heavy metal contamination of the samples studied.