Determination of the Extent of Sorghum Grain Contamination by Heavy Metals in Yemen Republic

Abstract

Heavy metals are essential for plant growth, but they are required at low concentrations estimated in part per million (ppm). If these concentrations exceed the (codex) limits, the plant is considered contaminated by Heavy metals. Plant contamination by these metals reflected negatively on human and animal health, because plants and their products are the main source of food. With increasing sources of pollution in the present day as a result of extension of activities industrial, this study identified the extent of contamination of samples of sorghum grains by heavy metals in two areas in the Republic of Yemen; the first was Al-rashdh - Dhamar and the second was at the vicinity of Imran cement Factory in Imran governorate, where samples of sorghum were collected and digested by wet digestion method and analyzed by ICP- Optically Emission Spectrometer technique. The results showed a contamination in both samples by the elements: zinc, lead, iron, arsine, and nickel, but the second sample showed high level of heavy metals concentration that exceeded the allowable limits set in codex Alimentaries.