Measurement of Levels of Potassium Bromate and Some Heavy Metals in Bread Samples Produced in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Nigeria

In order to determine the compliance leve l of s mall-s cale bake ries in Port Ha rcourt metropolis with national and international s tandards , bread s amples from ten (10) of thes e s mall -s cale bakeries were analys ed for levels of potass ium bromate, lead (Pb) and iron (Fe) in the s amples us ing appropriate s pectrophotometric techniques . From the res ults , the concentrations of potass ium bro mate ranged between 0.12 ±0.08 mg/kg and 7.28 ± 2.14mg/kg, indicating that all the bread s amples had bromate levels higher than the permis s ible limit (0.02mg/kg ). The concentration ranges of Pb and Fe in the s amples were 0.23 ±0.10 mg/kg - 7.28 ± 2.14mg/kg and 0.45 ±0.10 mg/ kg - 6.40 ± 2.20mg/kg res pectively. 40% of the bakeries recorded higher Pb levels (s a mples 2, 4, 5 and 8) than the permis s ible limit while 30% of the m recorded higher Fe levels than the permis s ible limit. It is thus deduced that bakeries 2, 4 and 8 a re operating at s ub - s tandard levels .