ASSESSMENT OF THE HEAVY METAL LEVEL IN SELECTED NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS SOLD IN ABUJA METROPOLIS

The concentrations of Pb, Cu, Mn, Ni and Cd were determined in five selected soft drinks bought from retail markets in Nigeria. The results obtained were compared with the recommended safe limits for drinking water set by WHO and USEPA, with a view to ascertaining whether or not the studied samples are contaminated by metals. The concentrations of Pb in the soft drinks ranged from 8.1 mg/1 - 11.55mg/l and the Cu contents ranged from 0.02 -I.43mg/1. Ni concentration ranges from not detected (ND) - 0.01 mg/1. Mn was in the range 0.0I-0.02mg/L. This study showed that 67.35% of the samples had Pb concentration above safe limits and Cd concentration exceeded acceptable limits in 7.14% of the samples. None of the soft drinks analysed had Ni concentrations above safe limits. The proportion of the samples that exceeded the set limits for NI, Mn and Cd were 20.83%, 16.67% and 29.17% respectively