HEAVY METAL CONTENT OF SELECTED MEDICINAL PLANTS IN SOME POLLUTED SITS

The study assessed bioaccumulation of heavy metals content in the leaves, stem and rhizosphere soil of Phyllanthus niruri. Samples were collected in triplicates from an abandoned dump site and conveyed to the laboratory for pretreatment and analysis. Pb, Cd, Fe, Cu and Mn were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (ASS) machine, the results revealed, Fe and Cu accumulated more than Mn and Pb while Cd was least. The accumulation of the metals were in a decreasing order of rhizosphere soil;leaves>stems of sampled plant. The statistical analysis of the metal concentration was significant at 0.05 statistical level. This study has clearly shown that the level of absorption and accumulation of these metals varied in the plant tissue. This is an indication that some metals though present in the soil, have low translocation from soil to plant parts.