Levels of Minerals in Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench (Okra) Grown in Zaria Metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper was aimed at providing information on the levels of minerals in Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench (Okra) grown in Fadaman Kubanni Farms and associated soils, the results were compared with those of the control site (rafin Yashi). The study was design to assess the levels of metals in the Abelmososchus esculentus vegetative parts and fruit samples of Fadaman Kubanni and Rafin Yashi. The study was conducted between June 2011 and May, 2013 in the Department of Chemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The standard methods were used for the determination of phosphorous and metal contents. The results were expressed as mean ± SD of five replicate determinations. The level of significance differences were determined at p ≤ 0.05. The mean concentration ranges of 213.19± 2.41(FP) to 4456.36 ± 3.41(CP), 94.80 ± 12.07(FF) to 3338.65 ± 6.33 (FS), 153.00 ± 32.99 (CS) to 356.00 ± 0.66 (FS), 30.35 ± 8.33 (FS) to 227.00 ± 24.19 (FP), 39.17 ± 15.92 (FS) to 4419.36 ± 22.56 (FP) and 19.50 ± 0.01 (CS) to 2241.66 ± 92.04 mg/100g (FF) were recorded for Ca, Fe, K, Na, Mg and P, respectively. The concentrations of Ca, Fe, Mg and Mg were appreciable in the analysed samples, thus it could be used as an alternative source of these elements in the body system to alleviate malnutrition, especially, among the socially economic lower classes of the population in the 3rd world country, such as Nigeria.