A study of heavy metals in some cigarettes and tobacco leaves in Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

The concentration of heavy metals chromium, cadmium and lead (Cr, Cd and Pb) in tobacco leaves and
some selected cigarettes from Benue State were analyzed using AAS techniques. The results obtained
indicates that the mean concentration (ppm) of Cr, Cd and Pb in tobacco leaves were 0.216, 0.056 and 0.052,
while that of selected cigarettes are 0.0378 (ppm) for Pb, 0.12 (ppm) for Cr and 0.0116 (ppm) for Cd in all
brands of the cigarettes, respectively. The level of Cr, Cd and Pb in selected cigarettes and tobacco leaves
were found to be below the WALOH standards for human consumption and plant uptake. It was also
revealed that the concentration of the metals in ash tobacco leaves were lower compared to that of selected
cigarette. Similarly, results of the analysis of all the ten different brands of cigarettes shows that Cr
concentration was the highest, followed by Pb and Cd was the least.

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