Pages: (1-10 )
Abstract
Iron is an essential trace element required by all forms of life. It is taken up by the root or foliage of plants from soil and air. The distribution of iron in the stems and leaves of water leaf and green leaf in fourteen different two local government areas of Ogun State, Nigeria was determined using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. The concentrations of iron in the stems of green leaf at Ifo and Ewekoro Local Governments Areas was in the range 1.53 mg/kg to 117.24 mg/kg and 3.90 mg/kg to 99.48 mg/kg, while that in the leaves ranged from 1.97 mg/kg to 139.36 mg/kg and from 4.71 to 113.45 mg/kg for the samples respectively. The iron contents in the stems of water leaf ranged from 3.55 mg/kg to 79.53 mg/kg, and 1.47 mg/kg to 103.57 mg/kg, while that in the leaves was in the range of 4.60 mg/kg to 90.47 mg/kg and 1.81mg/kg to 126.00 mg/kg for the two Local Government Areas respectively. The transfer factor revealed that more of the iron was transferred from the soil into the leaves than in the stems. Except for Ifo town, Pakoto, Ayede, Akinbo and Ewekoro, the concentration of iron in the vegetables from the local government areas analyzed were within permissible limits of FAO/WHO for iron.
Keywords: Green leaf, Iron, Soil, Water leaf.,