KALAYAAN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

Bliss road, Kalayaan Village, Brgy 201, Pasay City

ANALYSIS OF HEAVY METAL CONTENT IN WATER SPINACH (Ipomoea Aquatica)

SOLD AT THE PUBLIC WET MARKET OF BRGY. 201, PASAY CITY

Submitted by:

Sandra May J. Javier

Princes Jara S. Palapus

Alleah Grace G. Juguan

Submitted to:

Mrs. Andrelyn T. Clavero

(Research Adviser)

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 CHAPTER 1

I. INTRODUCTION

Heavy metals are naturally occurring components of the Earth’s crust. They can’t be

destroyed nor degraded. They enter to our body through the food we eat, drinking water

and air. Heavy metals refer to any metallic element that has a relatively high density,

atomic weights, or atomic numbers and it is toxic or poisonous at low concentration.

They include lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic. As for trace elements, some heavy

metals like nickel, chromium, zinc, iron, manganese and copper are essential and vital

nutrient and have a specific biochemical function in the human body. However, at higher

concentrations, it can cause a health risk to human.

Water spinach also known as “kangkong” is most commonly grown in East, South and

Southeast Asia. It is a semiaquatic, tropical plant grown as a vegetable for its tender

shoots and leaves. Its stems are 2–3 meters (7–10 ft.) or longer, rooting at the nodes,

and they are hollow and can float. It is found throughout the tropical and subtropical

regions of the world, although it is not known where it originated. Water spinach has

always been part of human’s daily diet since it contains minerals, carbohydrates,

proteins and vitamins that performs necessary function for human health. Some

consumer considers dark green, big leaves, and undamaged as a good quality of water

spinach or other leafy vegetables, however the external structure of this vegetable

cannot guarantee safety from contamination. Water spinach can take up heavy metals

by absorbing from the soils and freshwaters, as well as from polluted environment.

Excessive amount of heavy metal intake is associated with number of diseases with

nervous system, kidneys and cardiovascular.

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II. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Rapid and unorganized urbanization, massive industrialization, the use of various

chemicals in agriculture (Wickramaratne, Maduranga, & Chamara, 2016) and most

importantly, human activities that could increase the levels of heavy metal

contamination which then makes it as the main source of pollution on the environment

(Jaafar, 2010). It has been demonstrated that plants can absorb and accumulate metals

in their tissues. Water spinach can be found in freshwater and soil and it is widely

consumed specially in South East Asian countries (Gothberg, 2008a). Therefore, with

the status of our environment nowadays, we are not sure if the water spinach sold in the

public wet market are safe to eat or it can have a detrimental effect in our health.

Because we do not know if where these water spinaches are planted or cultivated, and

these are exposed to a wide variety of pollutants, there is a chance that it is

contaminated with heavy metals that do not have an essential function, toxic elements

that can be harmful even in small quantities like Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), and Mercury

(Hg) and Arsenic (As) (Gothberg, 2008b). Although certain heavy metals like Chromium

(Cr), Nickel (Ni), Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), and Copper (Cu) are essential

components for various biological activities within the human body, elevated levels of

them may pose a risk and can cause numerous health consequences to mankind

(Kananke, Wansapala, & Gunaratne, 2014). Since water spinach, which is one of the

cheapest and commonly used leafy vegetable for food consumption, and it is easily be

grown and harvested from freshwaters or soils, information about the concentration of

heavy metals is needed (Baysa et Al., 2006). The determination of heavy metals is very

important since human intake of toxic trace elements which even at a low dosage over a

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long period of time can lead to malfunction of organs which are associated with many

chronic diseases in the human body (Krishnamurty et al., 1976). As human activities

increases, especially with the application of our modern technologies, contamination

and pollution of the human food chain has become inevitable. Heavy metal uptake by

plants and vegetables grown on polluted soils has been studied by different

researchers.

III. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This research will analyze the concentrations of heavy metals in a water spinach sold at

the public wet market of Barangay 201, Pasay City. The study aims to answer the

following questions:

1. What is the level of concentration of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), chromium

(Cr), Iron (Fe), and Zinc (Zn) content present in water spinach?

2. What will be the possible health risk to humans who will consume this if it has a high

level concentration of heavy metals?

3. What are the factors that can affect the accumulation of heavy metal in a water

spinach?

IV. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The importance of this study is that the researchers will be able to determine the levels

of concentration of heavy metal in a water spinach and can also determine if it may

pose a risk to human’s health.

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The residents of Barangay 201, Pasay City can benefit with this study because they will

be able to know if the water spinach is still safe to eat of not.

V. SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

There will be six types of heavy metal that will be focused in this study.

These are the:

1. Cadmium (Cd)

2. Lead (Pb)

3. Nickel (Ni)

4. Chromium (Cr)

5. Iron (Fe)

6. Zinc (Zn)

One sample of water spinach from the selected vendors of the public wet market at the

Barangay 201, Pasay City will be bought and will be tested through the use of Atomic

Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) equipment.

VI. DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. Water Spinach (Scientific name: Ipomoea Aquatica) – The heavy metal

concentration of this leafy vegetable will be tested.

It is a semiaquatic, tropical plant grown as a vegetable for its tender shoots and leaves.

It is found throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, although it is not

known where it originated.

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2. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) – This is the equipment that will be used

to assess and analyze the level of heavy metal concentration of water spinach.

3. Concentration - It is the level or the relative amount of a particular substance

contained within a solution or mixture or in a particular volume of space.

4. Heavy Metals – lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), Iron (Fe), and

Zinc (Zn) are the different metals that will be assessed in a water spinach through AAS

equipment.

Heavy metals are considered as a member of III- defined subset of elements that reveal

metallic properties which would mainly consist of the transition metals, some metalloids,

lanthanides and actinides.

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 CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

It is important to determine the concentration of heavy metals in plants since human

intake of toxic elements which even at low doses over a long period of time can lead to

malfunction of organs and could cause chronic toxicity (Jaafar,2010). The result of the

analysis of his research study about determination of heavy metal accumulation in

ipomoea aquatica using wet destruction method was exceeded to the maximum level of

WHO standard. Several heavy metals such as the Chromium (Cr) (4.16 and 6.92 mg

kg-1), Cadmium (Cd) (4.67 and 3.93 mg kg-1) and Lead (Pb) (9.66 and 8.87 mg kg-1).

Most of the lands in Peri-urban are contaminated with heavy metals through

industrial effluents, sewage and sludge, and vehicular emission and these lands are

often used for production of vegetables for better market accessibility and higher prices.

Vegetables grown in such lands, therefore, are likely to be contaminated with heavy

metals and unsafe for consumption (Singh and Kumar, 2006). They collected samples

of vegetables like spinach and okra from different peri-urban sites to analyze the

concentration of it. The spinach and okra samples showed Zinc, Lead, and Cadmium

levels higher than the WHO limits. The levels of Copper were at their safe limits. Metal

contamination was higher in spinach than in okra. Singh and Kumar (2006) also states

that Spatial variability of metal contamination was also observed in the study. Bio-

availability of metals present in soil showed a positive relationship with their total

content and organic matter content of soil but no relationship was observed with soil

PH.

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 Many of the waters where Ipomoea aquatica grows, serve as recipients for domestic

and other types of wastewater, because these waters contain not only nutrients, but

often also a wide variety of pollutants such as heavy metals from various human

activities, many people risk intoxication (Gothberg, Greger, & Bengtsson, 2009). Based

on their study, the concentrations of methylmercury, Mercury, Lead and Cadmium of

ipomoea aquatica that are collected from the sites of Bangkok, Thailand were 0.8 to

221, 12 to 2,590, 40 to 530, and ≤10 to 123 μg/kg dry weight, respectively. In conclusion

of their study, lead and cadmium concentrations in Ipomoea aquatica do not seem to be

a direct threat to human health. However, concentrations of Hg were very high at some

sites, and were higher in leaves (highest mean value: 1,440 μg/kg dry wt) than in stems

(highest mean value: 422 μg/kg dry wt). This might be a threat, especially to children

and fetuses, because Hg in I. aquatica was composed of methylmercury, partly or

totally, at most sites to 11% or less and at one site from 50 to 100%.

Lead and cadmium content of ipomoea aquatic grown in Laguna de bay were

assessed if the concentrations are within safe levels for humans. Lead concentrations in

the plants were 0.259 to 8.72 mg/kg DW, with decreasing trend from roots to leaves,

and from bottom to top subsections of the upper 36cm from the shoot apex. Water

spinach had Cd concentrations which were 0.0058 to 0.0466 mg/kg DW. Lead and

cadmium concentrations in the edible portions (leaves and stems) of the upper 36cm of

the shoot were far below the maximum tolerable daily intake for man set by World

Health Organization (WHO). The bottom of the edible portion of the plant should be

removed to minimize lead intake (Baysa et Al., 2006).

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 Nickel, cadmium, chromium, lead and copper were analyzed in five different types of

green leafy vegetables collected from selected market sites of Piliyandala Area,

Colombo District, Sri Lanka and kangkong is included. It was found that the Ni, Cd, Cr

and Pb levels exceeded the maximum permissible limits set by FAO/WHO for human

consumption (Kananke, Wansapala, & Gunaratne, 2014).

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 CHAPTER 3:

METHODOLOGY

I. Plant Collection

One sample of water spinach was collected from random vendors of Brgy.201 public

wet market.

II. SAMPLE PREPARATION

The collected sample was washed thoroughly with distilled water and was dried inside

the microwave oven for 15 minutes. The dried sample was cut into small pieces and

were ground using a blender. The samples were stored in a clean bottle at room

temperature until further use.

III. SAMPLE DIGESTION

A sample of 5.00 g of each of the dried ground plant material was weighed into 100 ml

beakers and a 10 ml of conc. Nitric acid (conc. HNO3) was added. The sample was

ͦ on a hot plate for 15 minutes and was cooled for about 5 minutes.
heated at 95 C

Another 5 ml of conc. HNO3 was added to the sample and was heated at 95 ͦC for an

additional 30 minutes without letting it boil until the volume of the sample was reduced

to 5 ml. The resulting sample was cooled and 2 ml of distilled water and 3 ml of 30%

hydrogen peroxide was added. The sample was heated once again gently to initiate the

peroxide reaction. When the effervescence became vigorous, the heating was stopped

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and 30% hydrogen peroxide was added with gentle heating until the effervescence was

low. A 5 ml of conc. HCl and 10ml of distilled water were added to the sample and was

heated for an additional 15 minute without boiling. The sample was cooled and filtered

through a Whatman No. 42 filter paper and diluted to 5 ml with distilled water. The

digestion sample (the filtrate) obtained was diluted to 25.00 ml using distilled water in a

volumetric flask.

IV. Analysis of Heavy Metals

The heavy metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), Iron

(Fe), and Zinc (Zn) were determined using the Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS)

equipment.

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 Chapter 4:

RESULTS, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

Table 1: Determination of Chromium (Cr) in Kangkong sample

Heavy Metal Trial Concentration (ppm)

Chromium (Cr) 1 -0.0612

2 -0.1118

x = -0.087

It could be gleaned in Table 1 that the concentration of Chromium (Cr) in kangkong

sample is -0.087 ppm.

Table 2: Determination of Lead (Pb) in Kangkong sample

Heavy Metal Trial Concentration (ppm)

Lead (Pb) 1 -3.2650

2 -3.3129

x = -3.29

In Table 2 show that the concentration of Lead (Pb) in kangkong sample is -3.29 ppm.

Table 3: Determination of Iron (Fe) in Kangkong sample

Heavy Metal Trial Concentration (ppm)

Iron (Fe) 1 -0.9457

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 2 -0.9964

x = -0.971

It could be ascertain in Table 3 that the concentration of Iron (Fe) in kangkong sample is

-0.971 ppm.

Table 4: Determination of Zinc (Zn) in Kangkong sample

Heavy Metal Trial Concentration (ppm)

Zinc (Zn) 1 -9.0891

2 -9.1711

x = -9.13

Table 4 present that the concentration of Zinc (Zn) in kangkong sample is -9.13 ppm.

Table 5: Determination of Cadmium (Cd) in Kangkong sample

Heavy Metal Trial Concentration (ppm)

Cadmium (Cd) 1 -2.4162

2 -2.4673

x = -2.44

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Table 5 interprets that the concentration of Cadmium (Cd) in kangkong sample is -2.44

ppm.

Table 6: Determination of Nickel (Ni) in Kangkong sample

Heavy Metal Trial Concentration (ppm)

Nickel (Ni) 1 -4.6831

2 -4.5569

x = -4.62

The Table 5 shows that the concentration of Nickel (Ni) in kangkong sample is -4.

62 ppm.

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 CHAPTER 5

This chapter looks at the summary of findings, conclusions, recommendations and

suggestions for further research.

SUMMARY

Heavy metals refer to any metallic element that has a relatively high density,

atomic weights, or atomic numbers and it is toxic or poisonous at low concentration.

They include lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic.This quantitative study was designed

to determine the heavy metal accumulation in ipoemoea aquatica (which is commonly

known as water spinach or kangkong) that was selled in the wet market of Brgy 201,

Pasay City. Heavy metals specifically such as Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Nickel (Ni),

Chromium (Cr), Iron (Fe), and Zinc (Zn). Looking to the objective of this study the use of

equipment Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) was found to be appropriate. This is

the equipment that will be used to assess and analyze the level of heavy metal

concentration of water spinach. The sample of this study was concentrated through the

process of the deionization. We have two samples placed in a small container glass

having 50 ml of concentrated sample of water spinach each. Hence, two samples of

concentrated water spinach were made. We determined the amount of heavy metal

present in our samples through the equipment Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS).

These obtained data were analyzed and interpreted by a table for the

corresponding samples of water spinach. The study reviewed literature regarding

concept of heavy metal accumulation in ipomoea aquatica or water spinach and factors

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influencing these variables. The obtained result after analysis the data were presented

as follows.

CONCLUSION

From the analysis it was found out that:

• The Ipomoea Aquatica or water spinach that was being selled in the public wet market

of Brgy. 201, Pasay City does not contain high amount concentrated heavy metals such

as Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Nickel (Ni), Chromium (Cr), Iron (Fe), and Zinc (Zn).

• Therefore, the water spinach that was selled in the public wet market of Brgy. 201,

Pasay City is safe to ingest

• Eating water spinach that was bought in the public wet market cannot affect in any

aspect of their health and is safe for the residents of Brgy. 201, Pasay City.

RECOMMENDATIONS

On the basis of present study some recommendations for the residents of Brgy. 201,

Pasay City are drawn as follows:

• The residents should be careful in buying foods that they will ingest.

• The Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Nickel (Ni), Chromium (Cr), Iron (Fe), and Zinc (Zn)

content has a very low accumulation in water spinach so it's apparently safe to eat.

• The residents should be informed about these heavy metal accumulation in order for

them to be aware because it could affect their health.

These recommendations can be achieved by talking to parents and all the residents on

the issues raised in a forum like the meetings and gatherings.

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REFERENCES:

1. Kananke, T. , Wansapala, J. , & Gunaratne, A. (2014). Heavy Metal Contamination in

Green Leafy Vegetables Collected from Selected Market Sites of Piliyandala Area,

Colombo District, Sri Lanka. American Journal of Food Science and Technology, 2(5),

139-144.

2. http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/3201/1/CD5660_MOHD_HILMI_BN_JAAFAR.pdf

DETERMINATION OF HEAVY METAL ACCUMULATION IN IPOMOEA AQUATICA

USING WET DESTRUCTION METHOD

MOHD HILMI BIN JAAFAR NOVEMBER 2010

3. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:198712/FULLTEXT01.pdf

Metal fate and sensitivity in the aquatic tropical vegetable Ipomoea aquatica

Agneta Göthberg ©Agneta Göthberg, Stockholm 2008

4.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267304116_Lead_and_Cadmium_Contents

_in_Ipomoea_aquatica_Forsk_Grown_in_Laguna_de_Bay

Lead and Cadmium Contents in Ipomoea aquatica Forsk. Grown in Laguna de Bay

Marieta C. Baysa, Rachelle Rose S. Anuncio, Maryann Louise G. Chiombon,

Julius Paul R. Dela Cruz, and Jean Rochelle O. Ramelb 2006

https://www.lenntech.com/processes/heavy/heavy-metals/heavy-metals.htm

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