摘要：Background and Objective: Heavy metal pollution of the environment is an increasingly significant problem. This study was designed to investigate the potential health risks posed by metal recycling companies on vegetable crops. Materials and Methods: A total of 27 vegetable samples ( Talinum triangulae , Amaranthus shybridus and Solanecio biafrae ) were collected around metal recycling companies at Ile-Ife and Ikirun, Osun state, Nigeria. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to determine the concentration of the metals. The data obtained were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis such as mean, standard deviation, t-test and one-way analysis of variance using SPSS. Results: Experimental results indicated that the concentrations of Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn and Zn in the vegetables were in the range 100.5-490.5, 0-2.8, 0-15.5, 4.5-135.5, 138.6-1081.2, 35.5-545.4, 5.2-545.2 and 40.4-961.1 mg kg1, respectively. The mean concentrations were in the order of Fe>Zn>Ca>Mn>Mg>Cu>Cr>Cd. Generally and relative to the control, vegetables from the sites were slightly enriched in Cu, Mn and Zn (Enrichment factor = 1.61-8.02) while Talinum triangulae was highly enriched in Mn (Enrichment factor = 28.21-28.81). Using SPSS, the results indicated that significant difference (p<0.05) exists between the levels of these metals and the control. The levels of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn from the sites were also found to be greater than the FAO/WHO safe limits but within for the control. Conclusion: The high accumulation factors (AF>1) obtained for Zn in site A and Mn in site B signal the contamination of vegetables at these sites an indication that vegetables around metal recycling sites are contaminated to some extent and should not be consumed.
