The King Tom refuse dump site is a repository of different kinds of wastes such as biodegradable waste, recyclable materials, electrical and electronic waste, hazardous waste, toxic waste and inert waste. Most substances in these wastes invariably contain heavy metals. The areas around the refuse dump have long been utilized for vegetable gardening by poor residents in the King Tom community. This study was aimed at assessing levels of toxic heavy metals (Pb, Cr, Hg, As and Al) in selected vegetables and fruit grown in the gardens around the King Tom dump site to ascertain bioaccumulation and possible HM toxicity. Two sampling sites were chosen for this research; gardens in the King Tom dumpsite in the west end and controlled site (Congo Water) in the East end of Freetown. Two commonly consumed leafy vegetables in Freetown, Manihot utilisimma (Cassava leaves), Ipomea batatas (Potato leaves) and fruit Solanu m melongena (Garden egg) were chosen for research. After sample preparation, the level of heavy metals in the soil and plant samples was determined spectrophotometrically, using Spectrophotometer model (Niton XL3t GOLDD+handheld X-ray fluorescence). Results indicate that metal levels in dump site soil are far higher than those in controlled site soil and that Al recorded highest level followed by Pb, Cr and As for dump site soil. Hg was not detected in both sample sites investigated. In the leafy vegetables and fruit, the metal levels were found to be in the following order; Al>Cr>Pb>As. The order of bioaccumulation of the metals in the leafy vegetables and fruit is; Pb:Solanum melongena (Garden egg)>Ipomea batatas (Potato leaves)>Manihot utilisimma (Cassava leaves); Cr:Ipomea batatas (Potato root)>Manihot utilisimma (Cassava leaves)>Solanum melongena (Garden egg);Al :Ipomea batatas (Potato root)>Ipomea batatas (Potato leaves) Manihot utilisimma (Cassava leaves)>Solanum melongena (Garden egg); As :Ipomea batatas (Potato leaves)>Ipomea batatas (Potato root)>Solanum melongena (Garden egg)for both sample sites investigated. The Product moment correlation coefficients between soil and cassava leaves (rsc), between soil and potato leaves (rsp), and between soil and garden eggs (rsg)were calculated to giversc= 0.994, rsp= 0.992 and rsg= 0.997; indicating very strong relationships between the soil and plant parts. This implies that the dumpsite soil is the most likely source of the extra metal concentrated in the plant parts.
