1 Department of Biological Science, Environmental Biology option, Faculty of Science, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
2 Department of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
3 Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Bayelsa Medical University, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
4 Department of Industrial Chemistry, Faculty of Applied & Natural Science, Enugu State University of Science & Technology, Agbani, Enugu State, Nigeria.
5 Department of Biological Science, Microbiology option, Faculty of Science, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
International Journal of Science and Research Archive, 2022, 05(02), 144–154.
Article DOI: 10.30574/ijsra.2022.5.2.0058
DOI url: https://doi.org/10.30574/ijsra.2022.5.2.0058
Received on 02 February 2022; revised on 10 March 2022; accepted on 12 March 2022
Presence of heavy metal contamination in agricultural lands, even at low levels is not desirable for human and animal health. Six soil samples were taken from three locations in Amassoma community in Bayelsa state in the months of April from the year 2019 to 2021. These samples were taken from the rhizosphere of pawpaw tree and scent leaf from the depth of 0-30 cm Samples were prepared by wet-ashing in line with the method defined by Smith 1972 and subjected to Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) and readings analysed with SPSS V.23 and IBM Instat GraphPad Prism V.3. Unpaired t test and trend analysis (graph, moving averages and slope)was used to ascertain significant difference between the yearly means and WHO limit at P<0.05, and trends of heavy metal contamination over the study period respectively. Increase in contamination of Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), and Nickel (Ni) from 2019 to 2021 was revealed as 0.050 mg/kg-1 year-1, 0.005 mg/kg-1 year-1, and 0.063 mg/kg-1year-1 respectively. There was no reported increase in Zinc contamination (0.00 mg/kg-1year-1). Yearly analysis revealed statistically significant differences in observed heavy metal concentrations to that of the WHO limit (p<0.05). The 2-tailed p-value between the means of heavy metals studied and that of the WHO limits were all significantly different. Recommendations are that more researches be conducted to determine heavy metal accumulations in soils in Amassoma and other communities in Bayelsa state Nigeria. Government effort is required to initiate concerted remediation processes of the reported heavy metals to curb future health dangers.
Heavy metals; Heavy metal concentration; Contamination; Soil; Amassoma community; Toxicity
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Ebimobowei Assayomo, Timothy Gilbert Anthony, AyakemeTonkiri, Dautimiebi Gabriel Andrew and Okes Imoni. Trend of heavy metal contamination: A case study on the soil of Amassoma community, Bayelsa state of Nigeria. International Journal of Science and Research Archive, 2022, 05(02), 144–154. https://doi.org/10.30574/ijsra.2022.5.2.0058
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