Determination Of Heavy Metals In Brewer’s Spent Grains Obtained From Benue Brewery Limited (BBL), Makurdi, North Central Nigeria.

Abstract

The concentration of some heavy metals (Mn, Pb, Cu, Cr, Fe, Zn, Ni and Cd) in spent grains obtained from Benue Brewery Limited, Makurdi North Central was determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometers (AAS). The results show the concentration of the metals as follows: Cr (0.197ppm), Cu (0.185ppm), Cd (0.039ppm), Fe (0.929ppm), Mn (1.235ppm), Ni (0.197ppm), Pb (0.265ppm) and Zn (34.478ppm). Comparison of the concentration of these heavy metals in the spent grains with those of the international/national standards of heavy metals for food, vegetables, cereals and drinking water shows that all but Zn was above allowable limit whereas, the concentrations of other metals analyzed were found to be below the standard maximum permissible limits. This shows that the spent grains are to a certain extent suitable for use as a source of feed formulation for animals and locally made fertilizer for plants.

Key words: Spent grains, Heavy metals, Concentration, AAS. Food industry, Benue brewery.