EVALUATION OF THE PRESENCE OF THE HEAVY METAL NICKEL IN SAMPLES OF TOBACCO SNUFF (NICOTIANA TABACUM) IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Objective: Tobacco snuffs a finely ground dark brown coloured powder obtained from dried pulverized leaves of tobacco plant Nicotianatabaccum is commonly used among Nigerians. Since the nickel content and its health implications are not known to have been studied, this study evaluates the presence of this heavy metal in some samples of tobacco snuff obtained from four geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

Methods: The study was conducted using thirty samples of tobacco snuff obtained from different parts of Nigeria. The samples were tested for the presence of the heavy metal Nickel by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry.

Results: All the samples contain the heavy metal nickel. Nickel concentration in the studied samples ranged from 0.0003–0.0011 μmol/g, with the highest concentration found in the sample number 3 and 22 only.

Conclusion: Tobacco snuff samples sourced from various geopolitical zones of Nigeria are highly contaminated with the heavy metal Nickel.

Keywords: Evaluation, Nickel, Tobacco snuff, Nigeria.