Influence of COVID-19 Pandemic on health risk of heavy metals to the general public in Owerri, Nigeria via consumption of food crops and fruits

Through various sources resulting from an increase in industrial pollution, man-made or natural activities, humans are exposed either knowingly or unknowingly to heavy metals. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on the global economic uncertainties and disruption of activities forcing a slowdown globally and lockdown in some countries including Nigeria. This study assessed the influence of COVID-19 on heavy metals that are persistent environmental pollutants namely: Cadmium (Cd), Nickel (Ni), and Lead (Pb), in fruits, food crops, and soil samples from Owerri environs in Nigeria, and estimated the potential public health risks. The samples were washed with deionized water, oven-dried at 70-80 ⁰C for 24 h and ground to powder. The samples were digested with a gradient mixture of perchloric acid and nitric acid. Unicam Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer was employed in heavy metals analyses. The concentration of Cd, Ni, and Pb in this study was within the maximum allowable concentrations for agricultural soil according to European Union (EU).Taken together, sampled food crops and fruits had 65% of non-detectable level of Cadmium; Lead, 40%, and Nickel, 35% of non-detectable levels. There were however, incidences of detectable levels of the heavy metals but not all of them exceeded the maximum allowable concentration recommended by relevant commissions. COVID-19 pandemic with the attendant lockdown of human activities in terms of industrialization and urbanization may have reduced heavy metal public health risk.