VOLATILE ORGANIC HYDROCARBONS (VOHS) AND POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHS) COMPONENTS LEVEL IN VERNONIA AMYDALINA, TELFERA OCCIDENDALIS AND AMARANTHUS SPINOSUS GROWN IN A GARDEN LOCATED AT AUTOMOBILE MECHANIC WORKSHOP IN CHOBA DISTRICT AREA, PORT-HARCOURT METROPOLIS, NIGERIA

Three different edible plants (Vernonia amydalina, Telfera occidendalis and Amaranthus spinosus) were analyzed to investigate the concentrations of volatile organic hydrocarbons (VOHs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) components . Identification and quantitative analysis of the VOHs and PAH components were achieved by gas chromatography. The results obtained showed that the PAH components present in the samples ranged from 32.50 ± 0.10 – 54.67 ± 0.10 μg /kg, Naphthalene; 8.50 ± 0.01 – 12.70 ± 0.05 μg /kg, Fluorene; 17.60 ± 0.01 – 77.80 ± 0.20 μg /kg, Phenanthrene; 21.00 ± 0.02 – 2.15 ± 0.01 μg /kg, Anthracene; 30.10 ± 0.02 – 88.10 ± 0.01 μg /kg,Fluoranthene; 21.30 ± 0.01 – 87.60 ± 0.40 μg /kg,Pyrene; 1.37 ± 0.01 – 16.70 ± 0.10 μg /kg, Benz(a)anthracene; 0.98 ± 0.01 - 1.74 ± 0.10 μg /kg. Benzo(k)fluoranthene; 5.70 ± 0.02 – 6.50 ± 0.01 μg /kg, benzo(a) pyrene; 2.45 ± 0.02 – 4.70 ± 0.02, benzo(c)phenanthrene. analysed. Benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene and benzo(c)phenanthrene were not detected in sample B. VOHs were not detected in all the samples.