Evaluation of Heavy Metals Concentrations and Bioaccumulation Factors of Soils and Plants Cultivated in an Oil Producing Community in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study evaluated the presence of heavy metals and the bio accumulation factors of three selected plants and soils samples. The concentrations of seven heavy metals (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, and Pb) in soils and plants samples were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The result showed that the heavy metals in the plants samples for As, Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, and Pb ranged from 2.49-4.85, 1.02-3.46, 0.33-1.45, 2.17-2.47, 3.56-7.51, 2.71-4.12 and 0.23-2.31mg/kg respectively and that of soils samples  ranged from 2.81-3.02, 1.08-2.09, 0.15-0.94, 1.61-3.75,3.78-17.63, 2.27-3.12 and 1.35-2.23 mg/kg for As, Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, and Pb respectively. The concentrations of these heavy metals in the plant samples were compared with the permissible level given by Food and Agricultural Organization(FAO) and World Health Organization(WHO) and that of the soil samples were compared with that of maximum permissible addition (MPA) and Ministry of environment, Finland (MEF). It was observed that Pb, Cd and As levels in the plants were above the WHO/FAO level and Cd and Ni in soils were above MPA and MEF threshold. The bio accumulation factors shew that these plants can accumulate these heavy metals at different rates with Ni and As being mostly accumulated in all three samples.