AB STRACT: Studies on seasonal changes of heavy metal concentration in soils provide vital information for best management options at all times. The study investigated temporal variation in concentration of heavy metals in three towns having automobile service centres in Imo State. The study site is characterized by two major seasons in a year. Heavy metals were found in both arable and automobile soils, but more concentrations were recorded on the latter. Mean values of Cd, Cr, Ni, Hg and Pb were 6.2 mg/kg, 4.7 mg/kg 6.5 mg/kg, 0.02 mg/kg and 71.9 mg/kg respectively in the dry season while 2.9 mg/kg Cd, 2.2 mg/kg Cr, 1.9 mg/kg Ni, 0.01 mg/kg Hg and 51.9 mg/kg Pb were recorded during the rainy season of the experimental period. Higher values of heavy metal concentration were found in automobile soils as follows: 18.1 mg/kg Cd, 12.0 mg/kg Cr, 16.3 mg/kg Ni, 4.8 mg/kg Hg and 312.8 mg/kg Pb in rainy season, and 15.1 mg/kg Cd, 8.1 mg/kg Cr, 11.9 mg/kg Ni 2.7 mg/kg Hg and 267.9 mg/kg Pb. However, Cd showed highest variability in arable soils during the dry season (CV=79%) while Hg varied widely in automobile soils in the rainy season (CV=54%).
ABSTRACT:The study investigated seasonal dynamics of soil organic matter and total nitrogen in soils affected by different land use types in Owerri, Southeastern Nigeria. A total of 72 soil samples were randomly collected at two monthly intervals in the dry season (October/November, December/January and February/March) and rainy season (April/May, June/July and August/September) at 0-20 cm depth in all the studied land uses, namely soils under continuous cassava cultivation (CCS), pineapple orchard soil (POS), bush fallow (FS) and bare fallow (BF.) . Collected soil samples were air dried, passed through 2mm sieve and were analysed using standard methods. The experiment was factorially arranged in randomized complete block design (RCBD), with three factors namely, season, month and landuse. The treatments were replicated three times. Generated soil data were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and significant means were separated using least significant difference (LSD) at 5% probability. Results showed that soil organic matter and total nitrogen were significantly higher (P<0.05) in the dry season especially between January and April compared to the rainy season where the least was found around June/July in all the studied land uses, although in all cases, their variability was minimal, ranging from 30.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.