Effect of Gas Flaring on Some Phytochemicals and Trace Metals of Fluted Pumpkin (Telferia Occidentalis)

Abstract

The study determined the impact of gas flaring on some phytochemical and trace metal compositions of Telferia occidentalis in Obrikom, a gas flaring community. Plants for the study were obtained from farmlands in the gas flaring community in Rivers State, Nigeria and values obtained were compared with those from non gas flaring community (Rumualogu). The phytochemical composition (mg/100g) of Telferia occidentalis leaves grown both in gas flaring and non gas flaring sites was measured. The results obtained from non-gas flaring community are alkaloid (3.34 ± 0.006), flavonoid (6.67±0.009), saponins (8.21±0.020) and tannins (0.01±0.001) while the values from the gas flaring community are alkaloid (2.18±0.004), flavonoid (0.83±0.001), saponins (2.22±0.009) and tannins (0.46±0.012). The findings showed that plants in gas flaring community had reduced phytochemicals except tannins which increased significantly (P>0.05). There was significant increase (P>0.05) in the levels of Fe (2.78±0.01 to 3.51±0.02), Zn (0.90±0.06 to 1.30±0.02), Pb (0.21±0.01 to 0.54±0.01) and Cd (0.00±0.00 to 0.07±0.01) when the leaves grown in a non gas flaring site were compared with the gas flaring site samples. However, there was no significant difference in Cr concentration of the vegetable from both sites; Cr (0.2±0.01 to 0.06±0.01). All these may have possible implication on the nutritional and medicinal values of Telferia occidentalis.

Keywords: Gas flaring, Phytochemicals,Trace metals.