Greener Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition

Greener Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition Vol. 5 (1), pp. 001-004, April 2018.

  ISSN: 2354-2292 © 2018 Authors

Research Paper

Manuscript Number: 020718019

(DOI: http://doi.org/10.15580/GJSSPN.2018.1.020718019)

Heavy Metals Concentration in Dumpsites at Gwagwalada, Abuja: Implications on Sustainable Environmental Management

 

 OLOWOOKERE B.T.¹*, OYIBO O.¹ and OYERINDE G.T.

  

¹Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria.

Abstract

Agricultural soil quality deterioration resulting from increase in the level of heavy metals is becoming more and more pronounced, thus raising the question of safety status of human health and environment. Heavy metals affect the quality and production of crops and influence atmospheric and water quality. These contamination are important and of concern because of increasing demand for food safety. Heavy metals in two layers (0-15cm and 15-30cm) of four different sites of waste dumps and the control taken from 50 meters away from the dump sites were studied in Gwagwalada area of Abuja in Federal capital territory of Nigeria. The samples were air-dried and digested with concentrated HNO₃ and HClO₄ acids; Cu, Pb, Fe, Mo and Zn were determined using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer model Sp 2900. The results showed that the heavy metals were found in the surface soil and the heavy metal levels for the soils follow this trend Fe > Zn > Cu> Mo > Pb. The concentrations of Fe, Zn and Pb were highest in abattoir dumpsite (509.7, 83.8 and 1.5 mg/kg respectively). Cu and Mo were highest in Kuje road dumpsite with (24.1 and 5.5 mg/kg). The study revealed that although the concentrations of the heavy metals were lower than the established limits, they were higher than the control soils. The relatively low average content of the metals investigated in this study present insignificant exposure risks. This does not ruled out the possibility of increase in concentration of these metals with time, since the extent of heavy metal pollution varies with age. The study therefore recommends that dumping of the wastes should stop or more accumulations will constitute a major health risk to the people around these areas.

Keywords: Heavy metals, Concentrations, Nigeria, Lead, Food safety

Return to Content       View [Full Article - PDF]

[Full Article - HTML]            [Full Article - EPUB]

Post-review Rundown

View/get involved, click [Post-Review Page]

References

Adefemi, O. S. and Awokunmi, E. E. (2009). The impact of Municipal Solid Waste Disposal in Ado Ekiti Metropolis. Ekiti State Nigeria. African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 3 (8): 186-189.

Ademoroti, C. M. A. (1996). Standard Methods for Water and Effluent Analysis. Fodulex Press, Ibadan.

 

Alloway, B. J. (1996). Heavy Metal in soils Halsted Press, John Wiley & Sons Inc. London.

 

Amadi, A. N., Olasehinde, P.I., Okosun, E. A., Okoye, N. O., Okunlola I.A., Alkali, Y.B. and Dan-Hassan M. A. (2012). A Comparative Study on the Impact of Avu and Ihie Dumpsites on Soil Quality in Southeastern Nigeria. American Journal of Chemistry 2 (1):20 -23.

 

Anikwe, M. A. N. and Nwobodo K. C. A. (2002). Long term effect of municipal waste disposal on soil properties and productivity of sites used for urban agriculture in Abakalik22i, Nigeria. Bioresource Technology 83: 241-250.

 

Adriano, D. C. (1986). Trace Elements in the terrestrial environment, springer Verlag, New York.

 

Boularbah, A., Schwartz, C., Bitton, G., Aboudrar,W., Ouhammou, Aand Morel, J. L. (2006). Heavy metal contamination in mining sites in South Morrocco. Assessment of metal accumulation in toxicity in plants chemosphere

 

Dara S. S. (1993). A textbook of environmental chemistry and pollution control. S. Chand & Company Ltd. Ram Nagar, New Delhi 110055.

 

Moses, B. A. (2006). Phytoremediation of contaminated soils with some  Heavy metals using Hellanthus annisus L. and Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsley) as influenced by fertilizer applications. Unpublished Ph. D Thesis. University of Ibadan: 144pp.

 

Nwachukwu, M. A., Feng, H., Alinnor, J. (2010). Trace metal dispersion in soil from auto-mechanic village to urban residential areas in Owerri, Nigeria. African J. of Environ. Sc. and Tech, 4 (4) pp. 310-322

 

Omar, A. A. (2004). Heavy metals distribution in dust, street dust and soils from the workplace in Karak Industrial Estate Jordan. Atmospheric Environment 38: 6803-6812.

 

Onianwa, P.C. (2001). Roadside Topsoil concentrations of lead and other Heavy metals in Ibadan, Nigeria. Journal of soil and sediment  Contamination 10 (6):577-591. 

 

Ololade I. A. (2014). An assessment of heavy metal contamination in soil within auto-mechanic workshops using enrichment and contamination factors with geo-accumulation indexes. J. of Environmental Protection, 5: 970-982.

 

Ogu, O.G. and Ogwo, P.A. (2014). Assessment of heavy metals concentrations in soils of acid battery waste dumpsites in Aba South eastern Nigeria. Journal of Environmental Sciences and Resources Management Vol. 6, No 1. Pp 88-95.