MINERAL COMPOSITIONS OF SOME UNDER-UTILIZED LEAFY VEGETABLES CONSUMED IN EBONYI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study assesses the mineral compositions of three underutilized vegetables commonly consumed by the rural people of Afikpo, Abakaliki, and Ohaozara of Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Composite samples of the vegetables; Ipomea aquatic (water morning glory), Pennsetum purpureum (elephant grass) and Colocasia esculenta (cocoyam leave) were collected from these areas and analyzed for Na, K, Mg, Fe, Cu and Zn compositions. Air-dried and ground samples were digested with 3:1 mixture of HNO3 and HClO4, followed by mineral determination using Flame Photometer (for Na and K) and Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (for Mg, Fe, Cu and Zn). The mean concentrations of minerals in the vegetables were as follows: Ipomea aquatic (Na: 135.31 ± 46.11, K: 5027.20 ± 2299.23, Mg: 502.77 ± 383.11, Fe: 136.68 ± 132.20, Cu: 1.95 ± 0.50 and Zn: 24.72 ± 6.99), Pennsetum purpureum (Na: 102.27 ± 33.72, K: 6808.50 ± 3343.22, Mg: 704.45 ± 298.18, Fe: 48.38 ± 26.84, Cu: 2.00 ± 0.67 and Zn: 26.03 ± 2.76) and Colocasia esculenta (Na: 545.38 ± 325.71, K: 5268.97 ± 654.93, Mg: 689.92 ± 184.58, Fe: 74.07 ± 33.95, Cu: 2.07 ± 0.31 and Zn: 31.25 ± 6.15). The results reveal that the vegetables are rich in these essential minerals; they could be potential sources of the minerals for both human and animals. Their cultivation on a large scale and consumption should therefore be encouraged.