THE ELEMENTAL AND AMINO ACID STATUS OF Persea americana (AVOCADO PEAR) SEED OF TWO COMMUNITIES IN OGONILAND, NIGERIA

Qualitative and quantitative analyses of Persea americana (Avocado Pear) seed were conducted to ascertain its status based on the elemental and amino acid contents. Samples were collected from polluted and presumably non-polluted areas in Ogoni axis of Rivers State, and prepared following standard procedures. Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) was employed for determination of the elements, while the derivatization procedure followed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) methods afforded the identification of the amino acids. The results of detectable concentrations (ppm) of the elements were in the order: Mg>P>K>Fe>Zn>Mn>Cu>Ni>Co in the polluted environment, while in the non-polluted environment, it was: Zn>K>Mg>Ni>Cr>Cu>P>Fe>Mn>Co. Although, the concentrations were generally higher in the polluted than the non-polluted area, virtually all exceeded the limits set by FAO/WHO, except for iron and phosphorus in the non-polluted area. Chromium was however not detected in the polluted environment. A total of 18 standard amino acids apart from asparagine and glutamine were identified. A similar trend of higher concentrations in the polluted than those in the non-polluted environment was also observed. In the polluted environment, the highest concentration (ppm), was found in the non-essential amino acid, glutamatic acid with a mean value of 11.190 ± 0.011 and the lowest was from tryptophan with 1.065± 0.004 as its mean value. Aspartic acid had the highest concentration (5.200± 0.002) and the lowest (0.225± 0.006) in methionine in the non-polluted environment. The concentrations of both amino acids and the elements varied significantly (p<0.05) between the polluted and unpolluted area due probably differences in the anthropogenic activities in the area. Despite the environmental factors that may have significantly influenced the results, the seeds of P. americana can nevertheless, be considered a rich source of plant proteins