Investigation of Heavy Metal Content on Dumpsites Soil and Vegetables Grown: A case study of Ilesha metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

The research evaluated the levels of heavy metals (Mn, Cr, Pb, Cd, and Fe) in two dumpsites and control in Ilesha metropolis, Nigeria. Specific soil properties and the level of metals in dumpsites soil samples and vegetables were also considered. Standard techniques were employed in the appraisal and atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Buck Scientific model 210) for the metal concentration analysis. The level of each metal was detected low in the control site compared to the dumpsites which prove that there had been the anthropogenic contribution of heavy metal through the disposal of wastes containing or made of heavy metals. The metal concentration ranges between 0.25 mg/Kg (Cadmium of control) to 82,313 mg/Kg (Iron of IMD dumpsite). The vegetable (Talinum triangulare) that was common to the dumpsites and control accumulated minimal concentrations of the metals. In fact, vegetable in the two dumpsites and control had Cr, Cd, and Pb occurring below the detection limit. All the concentrations of metals studied in soil and vegetable were found to be lower than the maximum permissible limit of heavy metal in soil and vegetable stated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) which implies that the vegetables are presently safe for human consumption. The higher concentration of metals in dumpsite and their vegetables more than the control site shows that there is gradual pollution of heavy metals in the vegetable and implies that there is a need to avoid consuming vegetable grown on these sites and discourage the use of the sites for any form farming activities.