ANALYSIS OF HEAVY METALS IN URINE SAMPLES OF PREGNANT WOMEN FROM MAKURDI METROPOLIS

Abstract

Analysis of heavy metals in urine samples of pregnant women was carried out across various occupational and geographical location of Makurdi using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry AAS. Results of the analysis shows the mean concentration and standard deviation to be 0.045±0.10 for As, 0.070±0.07 for Pb, 0.130±0.10 for Ni 0.150±0.10 for Cd and 0.610±0.40 for Cu. From the analysis, Cu had the highest concentration in all the five hospitals followed by Cd. Fifty urine samples were analyzed in order to assess the body burden of the pregnant women with the metals and health implication of the latter to the pregnant women and their fetuses. The concentration of Cu, As and Ni were within the permissible limit but that of Pb and Cd were above the recommended values by WHO. The study recommends that before conception, women of child bearing age should include levels of heavy metals check and possibly detoxification to avoid transfer of these metals to the growing fetus as these metals are not filtered out by the placenta.