Elementals Pollution Status of a University Dumpsite Soil in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Abstract

This study explored the concentrations of various elements in Obafemi Awolowo University dumpsite using Inductively Couple Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy. A total of fifty soil samples were collected each month for a duration of eight months. Each month, five soil samples each were randomly collected from different spot at 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm depths from each of the four equidistant circular points and at the centre of the dumpsite in well pre-treated sealed polythene bags. The values obtained revealed that Fe, Mn, Ti, Ba and Al were below the background values while Ni, Co, Zn, Cu, Be, Al, Se, Si, As, Zr and Y were above the background values. Geo-accumulation study indicated that the dumpsite was practically unpolluted with, Fe, Mn, Ni, Ti, Ba, Al, Si , U and Y; highly polluted with As and Cu; Co, Zn and Zr ranged from unpolluted to moderately polluted; Se ranged from unpolluted to highly polluted; while Be ranged from moderately polluted to highly polluted. Mean levels of the potentially toxic metals in the dumpsite and its vicinity were higher in the top soil than sub-soil; and metal concentrations in wet season were higher than dry season.