Determination of the Extent of Contamination of Sorghum by Heavy Metals in Yemen Republic

This study aimed to determine the extent of contamination of sorghum grains samples by heavy metals in two areas in the Republic of Yemen collected during the period of June 2012 to August 2013, namely from Alrashdh-Dhamar area and the vicinity of Amran cement Factory in Amran area. The collected samples were digested by wet
method and analyzed by ICP- Optical Emission Spectrometric technique. The results showed a contamination in both samples by the elements: zinc, lead, iron, arsenic, and nickel that exceeded the allowable limits set by Codex Alimentarius. The study showed that there is a high level of contamination by heavy metals in both sorghum samples. The heavy metals contamination is not solely due to cement industry activities but involves other pollution sources.