摘要：Five leafy vegetable species ( Talinum triangulare , Celosia argentea , Amaranthus viridis , Cucurbita maxima and Corchorus olitorius ) sold in Lagos markets were investigated for Cu, Pb and Zn content by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Both unwashed and washed leaves showed the highest amounts of heavy metals in the urban area. Unwashed leaves showed greater difference between urban and remote areas and among the urban sites than washed leaves for heavy metal concentrations. Water-washing resulted in a significant (p<0.001) decrease in vegetable concentrations of Cu, Zn and Pb. However, the levels of Cu and Zn did not indicate excessive contamination that could be considered a serious health hazard to the consumers.
