Comparative Study of Heavy Metals in Elephant Grass (Penniseteum Purpureum) Grown along Major Road Sides in Amassoma and Igbogene Expressway Bayelsa State Nigeria

Determination of heavy metals in elephant grass (penniseteum purpureum) was carried out. The plant samples were gotten from Amassoma and Igbogene expressways with the control from Niger Delta University (new site). The samples were digested using mixture of HNO3 acid and H2SO4 (3:1). The filtrate were analyzed using Atomic Absorption spectrophotometer. Results obtained for Cd in the leaf of Amassoma, Igbogene and the control sample were 0.305>0.297>0.287mg/kg, Cd in the root of the control, Amassoma and Igbogene were 0.298>0.289> 0.287mg/kg. Pb in the leaf of Amassoma, Igbogene and the control sample were 0.965>0.811> 0.790mg/kg, Pb in the root of Amassoma, Igbogene and the control sample were 0.736>0.726 >0.691mg/kg, Cr in the leaf for Igbogene, control sample and Amassoma -0.227 > -0.077 > ND mg/kg, Cr in the root of the control sample, Amassoma and Igbogene 0.072 > -0.429 > -0.367mg/kg , Ni in the leaf of the Igbogene, control sample and Amassoma are 0.626 > 0.558 > 0.447mg/kg, Ni in the root of the control sample, Amassoma and Igbogene are 0.474 > 0.459 >0.373mg/kg. The result of the study revealed that Pb, Cr and Ni have a lower value than the WHO standard value, Pb= 10, Cr= 1.3, Ni= 2.0 and Cd has a higher value than the WHO standard value, Cd= 0.02.