Abstract

The levels of heavy metals were determined in green tea leaves samples collected from Kakara tea estates, Taraba State. The concentrations of heavy metals were determined by the use of AAS. The concentration of Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in all the green tea leaves samples collected across the season ranged from [0.982-3.566], [0.014-0.029], [0.010-0.071], [0.059-0.204], [0.066-0.755], [19.98-38.66], [0.106-0.369], [0.008-0.031], [0.006-0.099] and [0.080-0.199] mg/kg, respectively. The result analysis showed that the mean concentration of heavy metals were higher in wet season than in dry season in green tea leaves, among the metals analyzed K, Ca and Fe were the most abundance in all the samples. The concentrations of all the metals were low and within the international statutory safe limits.