Effects of Heavy Metals and Organic Pollutants in Soil of Oba in Idemili S

Abstract

Pollution in agricultural soil by heavy metal concentration and organicpollltantshave posed a lot of health problems. The soil from Oba in Idemili LocalGovernment Area of Anambra State, was analysed using atomic absorptionSpectrophotometer and some physical parameters. The result showed that the PH of thethree areas in Oba:oba residential , agricultural and commercial soils;ORS,OAS,OCSrespectively, were as follows: ORS (8.11) > OAS (7.13) >OCS (6.87).ORShad the highestpercent of sand (91%) > OCS (87%) > OCS (81% );clay for OAS and OCS are (4.0%) eachwhile ORS is (2.0%) and silt is (15%)OAS> OCS (9% ) > ORS (7%). Total organiccarbon(TOC) for OAS(0.844%)> ORS (O.628%) > OCS (0.503) while % nitrogen is(0.078)OAS > 0.071 ORS > 0.046% OCS. The elemental analysis show that: Ca (913ppm)ORS > OCS (865ppm)> OAS(211ppm);Mg = (235ppm) OCS > (112ppm)ORS >(92ppm) OAS; K = (147ppm) OCS > (71.5ppm) OAS > (64.2ppm) ORS; Na=(1765ppm)ORS > (1635ppm)OCS > (1605ppm)OAS; Fe =(54.9ppm)ORS >(53.5ppm)OAS > (13.77ppm); Cu = (1.8ppm)OCS > (1.10ppm)ORS >(0.5ppm)OAS;Zn =(107ppm)OAS > (52ppm)OCS > (50.0ppm)ORS; Cd =(BDL) ORS =OAS =OCS; Pb =(15.5ppm)ORS > (1.00ppm)OAS> (0.ooppm)OCS; Ni = (4.00pp)OAS > BDL (ORS =OCS); Mn = (38.2ppm)OCS > (8.10ppm) ORS > (6.4ppm)OCS;Cr = (11.5ppm)OAS>(11.0ppm)OCS > (8.10ppm)ORS. The heavy metals in the selected land use are below thepermissible levels especially in agricultural soil, therefore the use of the soil in agriculture issafe care should be taken to see that pollution of nickel and lead are controlled in agriculturaland residential areas respectively.