Heavy metals concentration in the dumpsite soils using geo-accumulation index and ecological risk assessment

Abstract

This study examines the pollution, geo-accumulation index and the ecological risk assessment of heavy metal concentrations in dumpsites in Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States of North Central Nigeria. Analysis of the soil from the dumpsites indicates the presence of Aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) at the various dumpsites. The accumulation of heavy metals in agricultural soils is of increasing concern because of food safety, potential health risks and its detrimental effects on the soil ecosystem. The pollution index of Cr is an alarming 30.83, 9.69, 13.21, 24.33, 24.10 and 16.54 in Lokoja, Kabba, Okene, Borgu, Bida and Minna respectively. The concentration of Cu was observed to be 48.10, 29.57 and 29.41 in Borgu, Kabba and Minna respectively while the pollution index of Fe was 10.36 in Okene and 15.33 in Kabba. The result of this study shows that heavy metals are present in the study area at the different level of contamination, the geological accumulation of Cu, Cr and Zn in Minna, Borgu and Bida dumpsites indicate an extreme contamination of the soil and require remediation actions to reclaim most of the dumpsites.