Telfairia occidentalis is mainly cultivated in southern Nigeria and it is used primarily in soups and herbal medicines. This study investigates the level of pollution in terms of heavy metals (Pb, Ni, Mn, Cu, and Zn) in fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) vegetable samples and its soils. Telfairia occidentalis and its soils collected from ilushin farm settlement in Ogun waterside, Ogun state, Nigeria were prepared and digested with acid mixture of HNO3 and H2SO4 in the ratio 3:1 and analysed using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) to determine the concentration of heavy metals. Physico-chemical properties of the collected soil samples were determined using standard analytical methods. The pH of soil samples (5.82±0.53, slightly acidic), percentage (%) organic carbon (0.70±0.33), and the CEC (4.75±0.12) were determined. Concentrations of the heavy metals (Pb, Ni, Mn, Cu, and Zn) analysed for Telfairia occidentalis samples were determined with Pb not detected in the samples. Soil samples were analysed with the mean values determined to be 16.97±22.69 (Pb), 14.31±14.42 (Ni), 116.51±52.67 (Mn), 3.57±2.54 (Cu), 13.61±4.76 (Zn) respectively in mg/kg. The results were compared with permissible levels as recommended by the USEPA standards. The mean values were found to be below permissible limit in the samples except for Mn; the concentration of Mn (405.54mg/kg) in the fluted pumpkin vegetable samples exceeded the permissible limit (155mg/kg) recommended by USEPA, and this calls for the need to continually monitor these heavy metals in order to prevent their toxicity and transfer to human beings through food consumption.
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