Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Soils Around Burutu and Obuguru Communities in the Niger Delta

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the levels of heavy metals in the upper soil of Obuguru and Burutu communities in the Niger Delta. From both communities, twelve (12) composite soil samples were collected. The analysis of heavy metals {performed with an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS)} revealed that Fe had the highest concentration in all soil samples studied. The general order from the highest concentration of heavy metals to the lowest was Fe > Mn > Zn > Ni > Cd > Cr > Pb > Cu in Obuguru and Fe > Zn > Mn > Ni > Pb > Cd > Cu > Cr in Burutu. Cadmium (Cd) was found to be the major metal pollutant in the soil of the study area. The concentrations of copper (Cu) and chromium (Cr) were below the department of petroleum (DPR) target values for soil, while the concentrations of the other metals studied (Zn, Pb, Ni, and Co) varied between below and above the target limit. The results of the analysis of the correlation matrix show that the metals in the study area have different degrees of relationship