Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals Concentrations in Topsoil of Makurdi and Its Environs

Abstract

This work examined the concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb pollution in soil and estimated the potential ecological risks of these metals in Makurdi and its environs, using established pollution indices. The information derived from pollution indices will help to assess the extent, and intensity of anthropogenic contaminant deposition on surface soil in the study area. The soil samples were collected from sixteen (16) locations across the investigated sites, 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 that the pollution levels of As and Hg were insignificant, while, the level of pollution caused by Cd, Cr and Pb ranged from low 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 as preliminary baseline data for heavy metal concentrations for future assessment and monitoring. Therefore, there is an urgent need to effect mitigation measures to reduce the ecological environmental risks, taking into consideration that human activities which are the main source of pollutants are still ongoing in the study area.