This work examined the concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pbpollution
in soil and estimated the potential ecological risks of these metalsin
Makurdi and its environs, using established pollution indices. The information
derivedfrom pollution indices will help to assess the extent, and intensity of
anthropogenic contaminant deposition on surface soil in the study area. The
soilsamples were collected from sixteen (16) locations across the
investigatedsites, sampled as appropriate and treated using established methods and
analyzed using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The findings have revealed
that the concentrations of the metals in the topsoil samples were arranged in
the sequence from increasing to decreasing order thus: Cr > Pb >Cd >
Hg > As. It was observed thatthe
pollution levels of As and Hg were insignificant, while, the level of pollution
caused by Cd, Cr and Pb ranged fromlow
level of contamination to high level of contamination across the investigated sites,
except, for the control site (BZ) whose pollution level was insignificant with
respect to the heavy metals studied. The results could be used aspreliminary
baseline data for heavy metal concentrations for future assessment
References
[1]
Abatyough, T. M., Uyeh, D. D., Uttu, J., & Abatyough, B. B. (2015). Distribution and Variation of Heavy Metals and Soil Properties around a Mega Cement Factory in Gboko, Benue State, Nigeria. International Journal of Science and Technology, 4, 351.
[2]
Abdulrashid, L., Yaro, A., & Isah, A. (2017). Heavy Metals Contamination in Urban Soils of Nigerian: A Review. International Journal of Innovative Biosciences Research, 5, 2-4.
[3]
Adaikpoh, E. O. (2013). Distribution and Enrichment of Heavy Metals in Soils from Waste Dump Sites within Imoru and Environs, Southwest Nigeria. Journal of Environment and Earth Science, 3, 45-46.
[4]
Adedeji, O. H., Olayinka, O. O., & Tope-Ajayi, O. O. (2019). Spatial Distribution and Health Risk Assessment of Soil Pollution by Heavy Metals in Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria. Journal of Health and Pollution, 9, Article ID: 190601. https://doi.org/10.5696/2156-9614-9.22.190601
[5]
Alibrahim, Z. O., Williams, C. D., & Roberts, C. L. (2017). GIS Based Spatial Distribution and Evaluation of Selected Heavy Metals Contamination in Top Soil Around Elton Mining Area Derbyshire, UK. International Journal of Geological and Environmental Engineering, 11, 380-390.
[6]
Augustine, A. U., Onwuka, J. C., & Albert, C. Q. (2016). Determination of Heavy Metal Concentration in Neem (Azadirachta indica) Leaves, Bark and Soil along Some Major Roads in Lafia, Nasarawa State Nigeria. Journal of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, 8, 38-43. https://doi.org/10.5897/JECE2016.0371
[7]
Fosu-Mensah, B. Y., Emmanuel, A., Yirenya-Tawiah, D., & Frank, N. (2017). Heavy Metals Concentration and Distribution in Soils and Vegetation at Korle Lagoon Area in Accra, Ghana. Cogent Environmental Science, 3, Article 1405887. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311843.2017.1405887
[8]
Fosu-Mensah, B. Y., Ofori, A., Ofosuhene, E., Ofori-Attah, E., Nunoo, F. K. E., Darko, G., Tuffour, I., Gordon, G., Arhinful, D. K., Nyarko, A. K., & Appiah-Opong, R. (2018). Assessment Of heavy Metals Contribution and Distribution on Surface Soils and Plants along the West Coast. West African Journal of Applied Ecology, 26, 167-178.
[9]
Gong, Q., Deng, J., Xiang, Y., Wang, Q., & Yang, L. (2008). Calculating Pollution Indices by Heavy Metals in Ecological Geochemistry Assessment and a Case Study in Parks of Beijing. Journal of China, 19, 230-241. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0705(08)60042-4
[10]
Hakanson, L. (1980). Ecological Risk Index for Aquatic Pollution Control. A Sedimentological Approach. Water Research, 14, 975-1001. https://doi.org/10.1016/0043-1354(80)90143-8
[11]
Jiang, X, Xiong, Z., Liu, H., Liu, G., & Liu W, (2017). Distribution, Source Identification, and Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Wetland Soils of a River-Reservoir System. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 24, 436-444. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7775-x
[12]
Lodhaya, J., Tambe, E., & Gotmare, S. (2017). Assessment of Metal Contamination Using Single and Integrated Pollution Indices in Soil Samples of Nashik District, India. International Journal of Development Research, 7, 15016-15024.
[13]
Matthews-Amune, O. C., & Kakulu, S. (2013). Investigation of Heavy Metal Levels in Roadside Agricultural Soil and Plant Samples in Adogo, Nigeria. Academia Journal of Environmental Sciences, 1, 31-35.
[14]
Mmolawa, K. B., Likuku, A. S., & Gaboutloeloe, G. K. (2011). An Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in Soils along Major Roads in Botswana. African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 5, 186-196.
[15]
Mohammed, S. A., & Folorunsho, J. O. (2015). Heavy Metals Concentration in Soil and Amaranthus retroflexus Grown on Irrigated Farmlands in the Makera Area, Kaduna, Nigeria. Journal of Geography and Regional Planning, 8, 210-217. https://doi.org/10.5897/JGRP2015.0498
[16]
Mohd Zahari, F. A. N., & Abdul Kadir, S. M. (2015). Deposition of Heavy Metals in Soil and Higher Plant Related to Rare-Earth Processing Activities. Journal of Industrial Pollution Control, 31, 2.
[17]
Muller, G. (1969). Index of Geoaccumulation in the Sediments of the Rhine River. Geography Journal, 2, 108-118.
[18]
Nemerow, N. (1985). Stream, Lake, Estuary and Ocean Pollution (2nd ed.). Van Nostrand Reinhold Publishing.
[19]
Nwankwoala, H. O., & Ememu, A. J. (2018). Contamination Indices and Heavy Metal Concentrations in Soils in Okpoko and Environs, Southeastern Nigeria. Journal of Environmental Science and Public Health, 2, 77-95. https://doi.org/10.26502/jesph.96120031
[20]
Nweke, M. O., & Ukpai, S. M. (2016). Use of Enrichment, Ecological Risk and Contamination Factors with Geoaccumulation Indexes to Evaluate Heavy Metal Contents in the Soils around Ameka Mining Area, South of Abakaliki, Nigeria. Journal of Geography, Environment and Earth Science International, 5, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.9734/JGEESI/2016/24908
[21]
Ogundele, D. T., Adio, A. A., & Oludele, O. E. (2015). Heavy Metal Concentrations in Plants and Soil along Heavy Traffic Roads in North Central Nigeria. Journal of Environmental and Analytical Toxicology, 5, Article ID: 1000334.
[22]
Oladunni, B. O., Tejumade, A., Otolorin, A. O. (2012). Heavy Metals Contamination of Water, Soil and Plants around an Electronic Waste Dumpsite. Polish Journal on Environmental Studies, 22, 1431-1439.
[23]
Olatunde, E., & Onisoya, M. O. (2017). Assessment of Heavy Metal Concentrations in Pawpaw (Carica Papaya Linn.) around Automobile Workshops in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State, Nigeria. Journal of Health and Pollution, 7, 48-61. https://doi.org/10.5696/2156-9614-7.14.48
[24]
Opaluwa, O. D., Aremu, M. O., Ogbo, L. O., Abiola, K. A., Odiba, I. E., Abubakar, M. M., & Nweze, N. O. (2012). Heavy Metal Concentrations in Soils, Plant Leaves and Crops Grown Around Dump Sites in Lafia Metropolis, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Advances in Applied Science Research, 3, 780-784.
[25]
Osakwe, S. A., & Okolie, L. P. (2015). Physicochemical Characteristics and Heavy Metals Contents in Soils and Cassava Plants from Farmlands along a Major Highway in Delta State, Nigeria. Journal of Applied Science and Environmental Management, 19, 695-704. https://doi.org/10.4314/jasem.v19i4.18
[26]
Ozkan, E. Y. (2012). A New Assessment of Heavy Metal Contaminations in an Eutrophicated Bay (Inner Izmir Bay, Turkey). Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 12, 135-147. https://doi.org/10.4194/1303-2712-v12_1_16
[27]
Pam, A. A., Sha’Ato, R., & Offem, J. O. (2013). Evaluation of Heavy Metals in Soils Around Auto Mechanic Workshop Clusters in Gboko and Makurdi, Central Nigeria. Journal of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, 5, 298-306.
[28]
Salisu, K., Yusuf, M. A., Ahmed, M., Mohammed, M. U., & Umar, I. A. (2016). Analysis of the Distribution of Heavy Metals in the Soils of Bagega Mining Area, Zamfara State, Nigeria. Bayero Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences, 9, 150-159. https://doi.org/10.4314/bajopas.v9i1.23
[29]
Seng-Chee, P., & Norhayati, M. T. (2016). The Common Pitfall of Using Enrichment Factor in Assessing Soil Heavy Metal Pollution. Malaysian Journal of Analytical Science, 21, 52-59. https://doi.org/10.17576/mjas-2017-2101-07
[30]
Shabu, T., Fate, S., & Ukula, M. K. (2021). Impact of Urbanization on Agricultural Land in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. NASS Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 3, 21-28. https://doi.org/10.36956/njas.v3i1.321
[31]
Sikakwe, G. U. (2018). Geochemical Mapping of Metal Contamination and Distribution in Topsoil, Western Oban Massif Southeastern Nigeria. British Journal of Environmental Sciences, 6, 41-57.
[32]
Sivakumar, S., Chandrasekaran, A., Balaji, G., & Ravisankar, R. (2016). Assessment of Heavy Metal Enrichment and the Degree of Contamination in Coastal Sediment from South East Coast of Tamilnadu, India. Journal of Heavy Metal Toxicity and Diseases, 1, Article No. 11. https://doi.org/10.21767/2473-6457.100011
[33]
Tomlinson, D. L., Wilson, G., Harris, C. R., & Jeffery, D. W. (1980). Assessment of Heavy Metals Levels in Estuaries and Formation of a Pollution Index. Helgoländer Meeresuntersuchungen, 33, 566-575. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02414780
[34]
Tsuwang, K. D., Ajigo, I. O., & Lar, U. A. (2014). Assessment of Lead, Mercury and Arsenic in Soils of Anka Area, North Western Nigeria. International Journal of Science, Environment and Technology, 3, 187-197.
[35]
Wuana, R. A., Eneji, I. S., Itodo, A. U., & Audu, P. (2019). Ecological and Human Health Risks of Toxic Metals in Soils under Different Land Uses in Makurdi, Nigeria. FUW Trends in Science & Technology Journal, 4, 382-394.
[36]
Yan, X.D., Zhang, F., Zeng, C., Zhang, M., Devkota, L. P., & Yao, T. (2012). Relationship between Heavy Metal Concentrations in Soils and grasses of Roadside Farmland in Nepal. International Journal on Environmental Research and Public Health, 9, 3209-3226. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph9093209
[37]
Zhongmin, J., Siyue, L., & Li, W. (2015). Assessment of Soil Heavy Metals for Eco-Environment and Human Health in a Rapidly Urbanized Area of the Upper Yangtze Basin. Scientific Reports, 8, 3256.