HEAVY METAL CONTENT OF SOIL AND EDIBLE PLANTS IN THE VICINITY OF AN AUTOMOBILE SERVICE AND REPAIR AREA IN OKIGWE, NIGERIA

Chidi Enyinnaya Ogbonna

Abstract


The study assessed heavy metal content and physiochemical parameters of soil, as well as heavy metal content of plants in the study area. The study also examined the implications of automobile workshop wastes on soil, plant and human health. Soil samples and four edible plants were randomly collected from a farmland in the study area and control 1km away. Soil samples were collected at a depth of 20cm, while stem and leaf samples were collected at a depth of 20cm, while stem and leaf samples were collected for four edible plants namely; maize (Zea mays), bitter leaf (Vernoniaamygdalina), water leaf (Talinumtriangulare), spinach leaf (Spinaciaoleracea) in the study area and control. Soil and plan samples were analysed for chromium, copper, iron, lead and zinc. The concentration of these heavy metals were higher in all samples at the study area than at the control. Accumulation of heavy metals by plants in the study area followed the order Talinumtriangulare> Spinaciaoleracea> Zea mays> Vernoniaamygdalina. Significant difference was found between heavy metal content of soil at the study area and the control (t =0.98 <t = 2.31 at P =0.05, df=8) and between heavy metal content of plants at study area and control area (t tab> tcal for all plants at P=0.05. The results obtained in this study of the soil. The concentrations of the individual metals in the soil in the study area wastes all above the permissible limits for agricultural soil. Crop farming in the study area raises serious environmental health concerns since use and consumption of these plants invariably means the ingestion of toxic metals. The high concentration of heavy metals in the soil at the study area implies a high risk of surface and ground water pollution from run off and percolation as well as increased level of metal laden particular matter in the ambient atmosphere. It is very important that waste management in automobile service and repair areas is given high and urgent priority. This should involve proper waste handling, reduction and recycling of wastes where necessary, as well as sensitization.

Full Text:

PDF

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.