Nickel Content of Pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) and Banana (Musa sapientum L.) Sold in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Nickel is a heavy metal that can accumulate in plants, potentially posing health risks to consumers if present above recommended levels The present study aimed to determine the nickel (Ni) concentrations in pineapple and banana samples and assess their compliance with the World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization (WHO/FAO) permissible limit for Ni in fruits. Banana and pineapple samples were randomly collected from Gwagwalada Area Council. Nickel concentrations were measured using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), Thermo Fisher ICE Model 3000. After acid digestion by Nitric acid.  The results revealed mean Ni concentration of 355±3.44 mg/kg in banana and 333±6.58 mg/kg in pineapples. Comparing these concentrations with the WHO/FAO permissible limit of 67.9 mg/kg, both pineapple and banana samples significantly exceeded the recommended threshold. The nickel (Ni) concentration of banana was 5.2 times higher than the WHO/FAO permissible limit while that of pineapple was 4.9 times higher than the WHO/FAO permissible limit. There was no significant difference in the concentration of both fruits (p>0.05). The elevated Ni levels in these fruits could be attributed to several factors, including the bioavailability of Ni in the soil, farming practices, and environmental contamination. The outcomes of this study provided insights into the potential health risk that could be s associated with the consumption of pineapple and banana. However, this risk posed may depend on how often these fruits are consumed.  Some studies have reported that chronic exposure to elevated levels of nickel can have adverse effects on human health, including respiratory issues, allergic reactions, and carcinogenicity. Monitoring of heavy metal content of fruits and other foods is recommended to prevent long term build up of nickel and other heavy metals in fruits and food crops.