Evaluation and Ecological Risk Assessment of Selected Heavy Metal Pollution of Soils and Amaranthus cruentus and Telfairia occidentalis Grown Around Dump Site in Chanchaga Minna, Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigate a series of selected heavy metal pollution of soil, the extent of their uptake by Telfairia occidentalis and Amaranthus cruentus as well as their ecological risk around dumpsite in Chanchaga Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. Soil samples were collected at 15 cm depth with the aid of soil auger and vegetable samples were collected from dumpsite and other samples with no activities served as control. The soil samples were collected at random and their physicochemical parameters such as pH, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, organic matter, total carbon and exchangeable cations (i.e., K+, Mg2+ and Na+) using a standard method and concentrations of the heavy metals in soils and vegetables, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg and Pb were analyzed using flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS). The ecological health risk assessment from the consumption of these vegetables was calculated using standard methods. The result showed a significant (p-value) increase of AC and TO in test soil samples relative to the control soils. The pH of the soil in dumpsite and control site was 5.93, and 7.35 respectively. Mean concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg and Pb in the dump site were 6.35, 4.84, 6.67, 7.35, 5.72 and 4.96 mg/kg while the control site were 1.18, 0.28, 1.26, 6.83, 1.19 and 3.54 mg/kg respectively which was below the WHO/FAO limits of As (20), Cd (3.0), Cr (100), Cu (100), Hg (2.00) and Pb (50 mg/kg) for soil. The concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg and Pb recorded in AC dump site were As (6.13), Cd (3.67), Cr (5.37), Cu (4.28), Hg (3.46), and Pb (4.52) and in TO As (5.67), Cd (3.13), Cr (4.67), Cu (3.65), Hg (3.19) and Pb (4.27 mg/kg) which were above the WHO/FAO permissible limits (0.5, 0.20, 0.3, 3.0, 0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg) respectively for edible vegetable. The concentrations of heavy metals in soils and vegetables from the dumpsite soil were significant (p < 0.05) from the controls. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) for the vegetable showed that they exclude the element from soil. The Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Hazard index (HI) show that there is no harmful effect since the values obtain were not greater than >1. But continuous consumption can accumulate in the food chain especially for children. This study showed that the soils and vegetables within the vicinity of the dumpsites were polluted by heavy metals which can pose health risk. The study also calls for proper waste management practices and policy implementation.

Assessment of Heavy Metal Contents, and Probable Health Risks of Some Staple Vegetables in Enugu Metropolis

“…Some research findings on heavy metal evaluation of these vegetables in other places where they are also cultivated and consumed have been documented. Evaluation of T. occidentalis in some studies has showed that Cd and Cr concentrations of 0.55 mgkg-1 and 1.4 mgkg-1 respectively were reported by Njoku-Tony et al [31] in Rivers state, while Egwu et al [11] reported Cd and Cr of 0.14 mgkg-1 and 0.71 mgkg-1 respectively in Niger state. Cd and Cr values in this study were lower Table 1 than those reported from studies in Niger sate and Rivers state.…”

“…Pb, Cd and As are amongst the heavy metals that are mostly present in foods with highest toxic potential [9]. Studies have shown that some of these metals exceeded WHO recommended standards in leafy vegetables, for example, chromium in Telfairia occendentalis [10,11] and Nickel in Ocimum gratissimum [12]. Contamination of vegetables with heavy metals poses a great threat to human health and could result in a number of disease conditions; such as renal and neurological damages, developmental challenges in neonates, amongst others [13,14].…”

Heavy metals pollution potentials in the National Iron Ore Mining Company, Itakpe

“…All analytical determinations were performed in triplicate. Description of the instrument calibration, and conditions for estimation the heavy metals in soil, sediment, plant and water samples are available in [14], [15]. Other instrumental parameters were given in Table 2.…”

Toxic Trace Metals Assessment in some Fruits Sold along Roadside (Major Threats to Food Safety) and Farmland in Minna Niger State Nigeria

“…These can be important contributors to the contamination found in fruits (Surukite et al, 2013). Trace metals are classified as 'light' or 'heavy' with densities less or greater than 5 g/cm , 13.6 gms/cubic cms and 8.65 gms/cubic cms respectively (Oguh et al, 2019b). Direct Res.…”

“…These trace metals cause environmental hazards and are reported to be exceptionally toxic to human. Toxic metals enter the human body through inhalation of dust, direct ingestion of soil and consumption of food plants grown in metal contaminated soil (Oguh et al, 2019b). Researchers have shown that heavy metal concentrations in shoots and roots varied also from different type of fruits.…”