Heavy metal levels in palm oil samples harvested from selected anthropogenic sites within Amansea in Anambra State

Studies were carried out to investigate the levels of selected heavy metals (Pb, Cd and Cu) in the palm oil samples harvested around anthropogenic sites within Amansea in Anambra State.Standard experimental procedures and instrumentation were employed in the study.The palm oil samples harvested from the studied anthropogenic sites (dump site, abattoir and auto-mechanic workshop) had mean Pb values ranged from 0.214 -0.488µg/g while its level in the soil sample locations was 0.136-0.704µg/g.The palm oil samples harvested from the control environment had mean Pb values of 0.096 µg/g while 0.136 µg/g was the value of Pb in the control soil samples.Cd was not detected in the palm oil samples at the auto-mechanic and control sample locations while at the other studied locations its mean values ranged from 0.064 -0.143 µg/g.Additionally, the mean values of Cd in the soil samples from the dumpsite and abattoir ranged from 0.084 -0.191 µg/g.The mean range of Cu in the palm oil samples from the studied anthropogenic sites was 0.986 -1.763 µg/g while the palm oil samples from the control environment had mean Cu of 1.592 µg/g.The mean range of Cu in the soil samples was 1.394 -4.948 µg/g and 2.092 µg/g in the control soil samples.The palm oil and soil samples harvested around the dumpsite had significantly higher mean values of the investigated heavy metals than what was obtained in the other studied locations.Strong advocacy against the dangerous and unsavoury practices by the people that contaminates the very vegetation that provides our primary food sources with heavy metals, is critical to mitigating the undue exposure to poisonous metals through fruits and food consumption.