SEASONAL CONCENTRATION OF SOME HEAVY METALS IN VEGETABLE CROPS AND ASSOCIATED SOILS ALONG HUNKUYI ROAD, ZARIA, NIGERIA
SEASONAL CONCENTRATION OF SOME HEAVY METALS IN VEGETABLE CROPS AND ASSOCIATED SOILS ALONG HUNKUYI ROAD, ZARIA, NIGERIA
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Date
2014-08
Authors
OKOROIGWE, BENADETH
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Abstract
This study was conducted to analyze the seasonal concentration of some heavy metals in selected vegetable crops and soils along Hunkuyi road. Metal concentrations were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) after wet digestion. From the result obtained, metal concentrations were of the range: Cu (0.9-22.4mg/kg), Pb (9.1-336mg/kg), Cd (0.4-3.1mg/kg), Zn (48.7-107 mg/kg), and Cr (1.0-172mg/kg). The values were found to be above the value recommended by FAO/WHO except for Cu and Zn which were below the maximum recommended limit for vegetable crops. There was a reduction generally in metal levels (except for Pb and Cr) in the samples collected during rainy season when compared to samples collected during dry season. There was an observed variation of metal levels in the various crops from one farmland to another which could be attributed to soil factors and root morphology of the vegetables crops. The difference in Cu, Cd and Cr levels in cabbage, onion bulbs, tomato fruits and farmland soils respectively between dry and wet seasons was not statistically significant(p>0.05).The difference in Pb concentration of onion bulbs, cabbage and farmland soils between dry and wet seasons was statistically significant(p>0.05) while the difference in Pb concentration of tomato fruits between dry and wet season was statistically significant (P<0.05) with the Pb levels of the wet season being significantly higher than that of the dry season. The difference in Zn concentration of farmland soil, onion bulb and tomato fruits between dry and wet seasons was not statistically significant (P>0.05). On the other hand, the difference in concentration of Zn in cabbage between dry and wet seasons was statistically significant (P<0.05) with the concentration in wet season significantly higher than the dry season.
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CROPS AND ASSOCIATED SOILS, HEAVY METALS IN VEGETABLE