Abstract:
A composite Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seed samples were collected from five farmers each from Engudadar, Gujign, and Qachena Eyesus kebeles of Simada wereda , south Gonder zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia to determine the level of essential (K, Ca, Zn, Co and Mg) and toxic (Pb and Cd) metals. The collected samples preserved in sealed plastic bag before transported to the lab for analysis. Then each of the composite samples were digested using wet digestion method (hot plate) by applying optimized procedure, 0.5 g of Fenugreek seed flour using 6 ml HNO3 (69-72%) and 2 ml H2O2 (30%) in 30 minute pre-digestion and a total of 3:00 hours digestion time was taken at a temperature of 110 oc. After digestion, the essential and toxic metals were analyzed by using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP- OES). The analyses result obtained from the reading of the instrument were found: in Gujign Fenugreek seed: K = 12,345 ± 777, Ca =4,281 ± 276, Mg =2,640 ± 107, Zn =21.67 ± 0.91 and Co= 8 ± 0.46 in mg/kg. In Engudadar: K= 11,136 ± 621, Ca =5,573 ± 169, Mg= 2,162 ± 110, Zn= 28.17 ± 1.59 and Co = 5.9 ± 0.21 in mg/kg. In Qachena Eysus: K= 3,797 ± 240, Ca =3,713 ± 162, Mg =1,240 ± 38.82, Zn= 18.83 ± 0.59 and Co =7.9 ± 0.2 in mg/kg were determined in dry weight. But toxic metals (Pb and Cd) in all three sample sites (Gujign, Engudadar and Qachena Eyesus) were below detection limit. The recovery of metals in spiked samples during the analysis was obtained in range of 90-110.5 %. The finding of this study showed that Fenugreek seed contains low concentration of Zn and Co, but richen in K, Ca and Mg. Therefore it is safe for consumers.
Key words: Essential Metals, Fenugreek Seed, Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy, Toxic Metals, Trigonella Foenum-Graecum L.