Transference Capacity of Some Heavy Metals in Cultivation-Consumption Chain of Plantain Harvested from Awka Etiti Anambra State

Background: This research was carried out to investigate the potential bioaccumulation and translocation of heavy metals in plantain cultivation-consumption chain using the serum and vitreous humour as the final reservoirs. Soil, plantain, serum and vitreous humour were analyzed for heavy metals (HM) (Cr, Pb, Cd, As, Hg). Methods: Twelve male albino rabbits were divided into two groups to constitute the sample size as validated by Mead’s formula. The control group was fed with normal rabbit meal void of detectable HM sourced from the market, whereas the treatment group was fed with same normal meal along with plantain sourced from Awka Etiti Anambra State for ninety days. The heavy metal concentrations were analyzed using AAS. Data analysis was carried out using t-test through SPSS (version 22). Results: The findings showed that soil and plantain cadmium concentrations in Awka Etiti were higher than World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limits. Similarly, heavy metals in the soil were higher than those found in plantain. Vitreous cadmium, chromium, and lead were higher in concentrations in the treatment group compared with the control, whereas arsenic concentration was the opposite. Similarly, serum cadmium and lead were lower in the treatment group, whereas chromium and arsenic were higher when compared with the control group. Conclusions: Heavy metals bioaccumulation and translocation along cultivation-consumption chain is a reality and could be potentially disruptive to physiological processes in the body and the ecology in general.