Adedunni Oluwabimpe ADEGOKE2024-06-102024-06-102023-12Kate TurabianM.Schttps://repository.lcu.edu.ng/handle/123456789/465Heavy metals are environmental pollutants that cause serious ill health which may be masked by other acute or chronic illnesses but exacerbating their effects in the patients. This study assessed the level of potentially toxic elements in the blood of Patients diagnosed with chronic illnesses attending University College Hospital (UCH), lbadan. The participants were given structured questionnaire after which their blood samples were collected from the various phlebotomy units of UCH. Blood samples were collected by venous puncture using pyrogen-free sterile disposal syringes and put in ethylene-diamine tetra acetic acid bottles. Five heavy metals selected for the study; Cadmium (Cd), Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Nickel (Ni) and Arsenic (As), were digested and analysed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Data obtained were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 23.0 Version. Results showed that the average concentration of the metals were 16.03, 7.33, 1.15, 15.0 and 2.31 µg/dl for Cd, Pb, Hg, Ni and As respectively in decreasing order of abundance ranked Cd > Ni >Pb > As > Hg. The levels of these metals were higher than the acceptable level of metals recommended, expect for Arsenic which is within the permissible level by World Health Organization (WHO). Total heavy metals in the blood sample ranged from people diagnosed with Liver disease>Hypertension/Diabetes>Kidney diseases>Cancer>Infertility. The participants affirmed that they work and live in an area with high concentration of heavy metal are 48.8%. This study shows that there is high concentration of the selected heavy metals in the blood of the patients and the adverse effects of heavy metals in health may be contributing to the morbidity of the diseases. Keywords: Disease, Heavy metals, Environmental Pollutants, Accumulation Word Count: 280enDiseaseHeavy metalsEnvironmental PollutantsAccumulationThesis