Toxicological Implications of Polluted Water from Makera Drain, Kaduna on Some Cereals and Horticultural Crop

Abstract

Concentrations of some heavy metals in crops such as banana, pawpaw, maize, sugarcane and mango
irrigated with water from Makera drain, Kaduna-Nigeria were investigated. These were determined by
Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) technique. The metals were found to be in the magnitude of
Zn> Pb> Cr >Cu, while that of the trace metals are Mg>Na>Ca in decreasing order of magnitude. There
was varying level of significance (p<0.05) with increased concentrations of the determined metals. The high
lead and chromium concentration (above WHO limit) in the irrigated crops may lead to its toxic effects as
it can bio-accumulate in the tissues and muscles of human and domestic animals that utilize them as feed.
It is thus observed that the water from the Makera drain used to irrigate crops may have delibetating effect
on the consumers. Consumption of crops irrigated along the drain should be discouraged as it might
contain high concentration of chromium and other toxic substances.