Heavy Metals Accumulation in Selected Plant Leaves Used in Food Preparation

Environmental Chemistry

The objectives of the present study were to investigate heavy metals accumulation in three types of selected plant leaves that are commonly used in food preparation and the potential of the selected plant leaves to be the source of heavy metals contamination in food. Three types of selected plant leaves, namely Banana leaf, Pandan leaf and Noni leaf were self-pick at areas with highly exposed to heavy metals. Each type of selected plant leaf was picked at three different areas in Kuching, Sarawak. In order to investigate the migration of heavy metals into food, the glutinous rice was cooked in each of these leaves. Ash digestion method was chosen to digest the selected plant leaves while wet digestion was chosen to digest the glutinous rice cooked in selected plant leaf. Samples were analyzed to determine the selected heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Cr, and Ni) content using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS – Shimadzu AA-7000). The concentration of Cu, Cr, and Ni in the selected plant leaves were detected in the range of (4.70 ± 1.704 mg/kg to 12.45 ± 9.149 mg/kg), (66.60 ± 15.415 mg/kg to 203.30 ± 12.657 mg/kg) and (3.86 ± 0.305 mg/kg to 4.20 ± 3.062 mg/kg) respectively. Concentration of Cu, Cr, and Ni in glutinous rice were detected in the range of (0.52 ± 0.997 mg/kg to 14.62 ± 17.154 mg/kg), (23.85 ± 0.071 mg/kg to 129.15 ± 3.323 mg/kg) and (3.79 ± 4.518 mg/kg to 4.3 ± 7.502 mg/kg) respectively whereas Pb was not detected in all samples.

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