The level of heavy metals in soybeans samples were evaluated to ascertain their likely health risks to the Katsina State populace. Atomic absorption spectrometry method was employed for the evaluation, while the three senatorial zones of the state were used for sampling. Using methods adapted from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), the health risks to the population from the heavy metals in the samples were determined.  The results have revealed the mean concentration (mg/kg) in decreasing order of concentrations to be for Zn (range: 1.204-1.432), Pb (range: 0.658-0.998), Fe (range: 0.563-0.687), Cr (range: 0.128-0.151) and Cd (range: 0.041-0.046), with the concentrations of Mn and Ni below the level of detection. The computed non-carcinogenic health risks from consumption of the samples were below 1 (THQ and HI>1). The cancer risk to the population lies beyond the threshold limit with the heavy metal Pb being the major contributor to the violation. It may be presumed that the Soybean samples in the study may add to the cancer manifestations in the population.

Local preservation of vegetables involves drying to enhance shelf life. The drying processes could, in turn, contaminate the vegetables with environmental heavy metals. Ingestion of foods contaminated with heavy metals may lead to an increase in the chances of incurring cancer and other health disorders in the consumer population. This study investigated heavy metals contaminations and health risks associated with the consumption vegetables from Turaji, Tsagero District, Rimi Local Government Katsina State, North west Nigeria. The vegetables were three samples of Solanum lycopersicum L. (tomato) as fresh tomato, tomatoes sun-dried along tarred road side, and tomatoes air-dried on farmland soil; three samples of Capsicum annuum (sweet pepper) as fresh sweet pepper, sweet pepper sun-dried along tarred road side and sweet pepper air-dried on farmland soil. The samples were grinded, ashed and digested with HNO3 and HCl separately using standard methods. The heavy metals (Cu, Ni, Fe, Cr, Cd, Mn, Zn, and Pb) contents of the samples were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Daily intake, non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks as well as hazard indices of the heavy metals were determined. Results of the study showed that the vegetables analyzed generally have low levels of the heavy metals, with Ni being below detection level (BDL) in all the samples. All of the detected heavy metals concentrations were below the maximum permissible limits as set by the regulatory agencies. The calculated target hazard quotient (THQ) Health risk indices (HRIs) of the evaluated heavy metals in all the samples were therefore, less than 1. The Incremental Life time Cancer Risk (ILCR) to the population from consumption of the samples lies within the safe limit (≤10-4). From the results, these vegetables are hence, safe for human consumption.