Assessment of the Effects of Air Pollution UsingRoad-Side Roasted Meats (Suya) as Indicators

摘要

The Suya meat samples sold in the open market, roadsides and motor parks werecollected from four towns in Southwestern Nigeria. The meat was investigated as apotential bioindicator of metal exposure to humans in an urban environment. Thesewere pulverized, digested then analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS)technique to determine the concentrations of five elements (Fe, Zn, Pb, Mn, and Cu).Iron has the highest concentrations in the range of 102 and 406 mg/kg while Mn has theleast values: 4.80-15.4 mg/kg. The results show that even though meat is a rich sourceof essential and beneficial minerals required for healthy growth, excesses of these met-als may be ingested from Suya; sources which include wood smoke, street dusts, andvehicular emissions and debris from automobile break parts are the identified origins ofsome of these excesses. Analysis of certified standard reference material IAEA-V-10Hay ( powder) was carried out to assure accuracy and precision of the technique.