Exposure to Heavy Metals in Fruits and Vegetables from the Etelebou Dumpsite in Bayelsa State and its Health Implications

Fruits and vegetables are energy-dense foods containing vitamins, minerals, fibre and other bioactive compounds, which help in preventing major diseases. However, accessing quality and safe food crops for consumption has left us with unanswered question and concerns such that "Should the simple act of eating lead to diseases and death? Hence, the need to analyze the suitability and safety of selected self-grown and cultivated bitter leaf, fluted Pumpkin and guava fruit collected from dumpsite (Etelebou) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. Heavy metals such as Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, As, V, Mn, Co, Fe, Cu and Zn were analysed via FAAS. Results show that the concentration of Pb, Cd and Co were higher than the WHO recommended limit for edible fruits and the Recommended Dietary Allowance (mg/day); Fe and V have the highest and least transfer factor respectively. Generally, the concentrations (mg/kg) of heavy metals in the soil were higher than the vegetables and fruit grown around the investigated soil vicinity. The analyzed health risk models (DIM, CDI, HRI, THQ and ILCR) show no significant toxicity effect on the consumer at the moment. However, due to the potential toxicity/cumulative behavior of metals and rate of vegetable consumption, further harvesting of vegetables from the dumpsite should be discouraged to avert future health challenges.