Bioaccumulation and translocation of lead in Lactuca sativa grown on soils from refuse dump contaminated area

Abstract

The increasing global concern on accumulation of heavy metals (HMs) in African leafy veg
etables has prompted the search for new bioremediation approaches that seek to curtail 
the growing risk of exposure to these carcinogenic agents by consuming crops grown on 
contaminated soils. An important step in controlling the spread of these soil contaminants 
is the detection and evaluation of HMs on soils used for the growth of vegetable crops in 
urban and peri-urban regions. The aim of this study was to quantify the concentration of a 
widely known toxic metal; lead (Pb) in soils used for growing vegetable in Zaria, and their 
possible translocation from the soil to different parts of lettuce (Lactuca sativa). Analyses 
of the leaves using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry method based on bioaccumulation 
factors (BF) revealed little or no accumulation of the HM studied (BF < 1). The BF observed 
in this study suggest that L. sativa may not be an accumulator of lead.