Authors:
Bankole, Ruth Temidayo
, Adedokun, Samuel Ayotunde
, Oyedeji, Marufat Bukola
, Alarape, Ahmed Bolaji |
Abstract:
Cassava flour, generally consumed in Africa as food, is a major source of carbohydrate. Its
common drying technique in Nigeria is sun drying for cost optimization whereby the flour (in
powder form) is spread by the roadside for moisture content reduction process. This research was
carried out at 10 major traffic highways in Ibadan to study the level of trace element pollution
introduced through this drying method, identifying the sources of the pollutants mainly as
automobile exhaust emission (major) and street dust (minor).The samples were collected three
times at a week interval.
Thirty samples were collected altogether, it was mixed, digested and analyzed using Atomic
Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) technique to determine the concentration of four elements ( Pb,
Cd, Cu, and Zn). The results show that even though, cassava flour is a rich source of the
essential and beneficial minerals required for healthy living, it’s drying technique exposes it to
the excessive intake of some of these heavy metals which could be hazardous to human health,
such as cancer. Alternative drying techniques are recommended |
