Comparative Assessment of Heavy Metals and Organic Pollutants in Mango (Mangifera indica) and Guava (Psidium guajava) Cultivated Near a Tannery in Samaru, Zaria, Nigeria

Publication Details

Publication Date

10/08/2026

Volume / Issue

Vol 1, Issue 3 (2026)

Article No.

014

Journal

British Journal of Contemporary Research

DOI

https://doi.org/10.67693/BJCR-B4YXLKC7

Received

14 Jul 2026

Views

34

Downloads

23

Abstract

Leather processing operations generate hazardous effluents that contaminate farmlands and food crops. This work compared the bioaccumulation patterns of six metallic elements (Cu, Cd, Pb, Cr, As, Co) and eight organic contaminant categories in mango (Mangifera indica) and guava (Psidium guajava) growing around the NILEST tannery facility in Samaru, Nigeria. Plant parts (fruits, foliage, and roots) were obtained from three polluted sites and one uncontaminated reference area. Metal quantification employed atomic absorption spectrophotometry after acid digestion. Organic substances were recovered using hexane:acetone extraction and characterised via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Across all locations and tissues, guava consistently exhibited greater contaminant burdens than mango at statistically significant levels (p < 0.05). Guava showed 1.5 to 3-fold higher metal concentrations, with peak chromium (11.83 mg/kg), copper (9.44 mg/kg), and cadmium (4.56 mg/kg) compared to mango (5.52, 3.21, and 1.99 mg/kg respectively). Cadmium and chromium exceeded permissible thresholds established by WHO/FAO in every specimen examined. Organic pollutant levels in guava surpassed those in mango by factors of 1.2 to 2.5, with organophosphates representing the dominant fraction (35–42% of total burden). Chlorpyrifos (0.95–2.25 mg/kg) and malathion (1.63–2.63 mg/kg) emerged as the principal organophosphate compounds. These interspecies disparities probably arise from divergent root architecture, transpiration efficiencies, and metabolic processing capabilities. Guava demonstrates potential as a sentinel organism for detecting both metallic and organic contamination. These outcomes emphasise the importance of crop-specific hazard evaluations and focused intervention measures to safeguard consumer wellbeing in tannery-affected agricultural regions.

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This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License . Free to read, share, and adapt with attribution.