HEAVY METAL CONCENTRATIONS IN DUMPSITE SOIL AND ITS ASSOSIATED ENVIRONMENT IN RUMUOLUMENI, PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA (original) (raw)

2018, International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Applied Sciences

A survey of some heavy metal concentrations (Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Cr and Fe) in soil of waste dumpsite and its associated environment was undertaken in this study. Soil samples were collected from the dumpsite (station 1), staff quarters of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education Port Harcourt (station 2) and Fence of Eagle Cement Company (station 3) for a period of four months (January-May 2012). Mean concentrations of heavy metal obtained were 3.761±1.525mg/kg, 1.223±0.828mg/kg, 0.160±0.293mg/kg, 0.126±0.085mg/kg, 3.481±0.133mg/kg and 248.548±13.800mg/kg for Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Cr and Fe respectively with Fe having the highest concentration of 248.548±13.800mg/kg and Pb having the lowest concentration of 0.160±0.293mg/kg. The order of heavy metal concentration is Fe > Zn > Cr > Cu > Cd>Pb. Highest concentration of heavy metals across the stations was obtained in dumpsite soil (station 1) followed by Eagle Cement Fence (station 3). This result shows that plants planted close to dumpsite, surface and groundwater of nearby environments will be contaminated with heavy metal and will not be usable for human consumption and other categories of water usage. Wastes from the dump site can be reduced, reused and recycled.