June 2013 Vol. 1 No. 4

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Full Length Research Paper

Soil reaction (pH) and heavy metal index of dumpsites within Uyo municipality

Ogbemudia F. O. and *Mbong E. O.

Department of Botany and Ecological Studies, University of Uyo, Uyo. P.M.B.1017, Uyo, Nigeria.

*Corresponding Author E-mail: ememmbong@yahoo.com

Accepted March 25, 2013

Abstract

The concentration of heavy metals in plants and soil of refuse dumps in Uyo, Nigeria was studied. Soil samples were collected from two dumpsites and digested with concentrated Trioxonitrate (V) acid and Tetraoxochlorate (IV) acid. The heavy metals investigated were: lead, manganese, Iron, chromium Zinc and Cadmium in two vegetables Ipomea batatas and Laportea ovalifolia. The concentrations of the heavy metals in the leaves of the vegetables were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Manganese (54.3±1.4) and Iron (1013.02±8.5) were the most abundant heavy metals while Cadmium (3.7±0.2) was the least abundant across the two dumpsites. Heavy metals in plants were found to positively correlate with that present in the soil. It is therefore concluded that the consumption of leafy vegetables and crops produced on soils with elevated metal levels pose serious health risk to consumers.

Keywords: Heavy metals, pH, Dumpsites, Correlation