Heavy metal pollution of dumpsite soil of Kogi State University, Ayangba

Abstract

The research aims to assess the local addition of selected heavy metals (Pb, Cd, and Cu) when dumpsite soil is used as a soil amendment and the ability of Amaranth (NH536–1) to phytoremediate the soil. It was a pot experiment conducted at Kogi State University's Faculty of Agriculture in Ayangba. The soil samples were collected from a dumpsite and arable soil. The dumpsite soil application to the arable soil was at different rates:10kg Arable soil (Treatment 1, control), 8kg Arable soil+ 2kg Dumpsite soil (Treatment 2), 6kg Arable soil+ 4kg Dumpsite soil (Treatment 3), 4kg Arable soil + 6kg Dumpsite soil (Treatment 4), 2kg Arable soil+ 8kg Dumpsite soil (Treatment 5) and 10kg Dumpsite soil (Treatment 6). The result shows that the concentration of heavy metals: Lead (Pd), Cadmium (Cd), and Copper (Cu) increased significantly as the concentration of dumpsite soil increased. Lead (Pb) has the highest concentration, while copper (Cu) has the lowest concentration. The result also shows that the plant's metal concentration depends on their concentration in the habitual soil environment. Thus, the Amaranth was able to show phytoremediation potential on soil heavy metals content. The trend of Amaranth potential phytoremediation heavy metals from the soil is in the sequence Lead Pb> Copper (Cu) >Cadmium (Cd).