INVESTIGATION OF SOME HEAVY METALS IN WATER, SOIL AND SPINACH SAMPLES FROM FARMLANDS SURROUNDING KWARI POND, KWANGILA ZARIA
INVESTIGATION OF SOME HEAVY METALS IN WATER, SOIL AND SPINACH SAMPLES FROM FARMLANDS SURROUNDING KWARI POND, KWANGILA ZARIA
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2016-06
Authors
ABDULLAHI, ZULAIHAT BELLO
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The levels of Cd, Zn, Mn, Cr and Pb were investigated in spinach plant irrigated with pond water using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. The physico-chemical parameters and the levels of the metals in the pond water samples were analyzed also. The temperature, salinity, conductivity and dissolved oxygen of the pond water were within permissible limits; however, the pH was slightly above the permissible limit. The levels of Cd, Mn and Cr 0.53, 0.94 and 5.22mg/L respectively (all through the months) in the pond water were higher than the US permissible limits for irrigation water (0.01, 0.2 and 0.1mg/L respectively), while the level of Zn was higher in the month of May only and Pb was higher in the months of May and April. The concentration of the metals in the soil samples from the three farmlands was generally of the order Mn>Cr>Pb>Zn>Cd and the mean concentrations of Cr (26.8mg/kg), Pb (20.3mg/kg) and Zn (12.7mg/kg) were below the WHO/FAO recommended maximum limits of (100, 85 and 200mg/kg) respectively except for Mn(91.9mg/kg) and Cd(1.7mg/kg) with allowable limits of 80 and 0.8mg/kg. The general trend of the metals in the spinach samples was observed to be Mn>Zn>Cr>Pb>Cd, the mean concentrations of Cd(1.52mg/kg), Cr (17.37mg/kg) and Pb (13.73mg/kg) were higher than the WHO/FAO allowable limits of 0.30mg/kg, 1.50mg/kg and 10.0mg/kg for Cd, Cr and Pb respectively. On the other hand, the mean concentrations of Zn (21.8mg/kg) and Mn (40.0mg/kg) were below the WHO permissible limits (50.0, 200.0mg/kg).The transfer factor of the metals from the soil to the spinach plant in farm 1 followed the order Zn>Cd>Cr>Mn>Pb while orders of Zn>Cd>Pb>Cr>Mn and Cd>Zn>Pb>Cr>Mn were observed for farms 2 and 3 respectively. Since the concentrations of the metals in the spinach (vegetable) were higher than permissible limits, consumption over time might present problems as the tendency for the soil to accumulate and transfer metals to the spinach cultivated increases which will subsequently get to man through the food chain.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIAIN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE (MSc) IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
INVESTIGATION,, WATER,, SOIL,, SOIL,, PINACH SAMPLES,, FARMLANDS,, KWARI POND,, KWANGILA,