Heavy metals and arsenic in soil and vegetation of Niger Delta, Nigeria: Ecological risk assessment
Esther Amaka Okoye, Anthonet N. Ezejiofor, Ify L. Nwaogazie, Chiara Frazzoli, Orish Ebere Orisakwe
Abstract
Present study has evaluated the occurrence of heavy metal HM in soil/vegetation, the ecological risk assessment of HM in crude oil rich Niger Delta, Nigeria. All samples were processed, and HM were assayed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. HM concentration in soil and vegetation were determined. Ecological Risk Assessments parameters; bioconcentration factor BCF, Pollution load Index PLI, geo-accumulation indices I geo, Modified Contamination Degree (mCD) and anthropogenic (man-made)ity were determined. Eleme and Trans-Amadi recorded the highest soil and vegetation levels of HM whereas Uyo had the lowest. Taken together, there was bioconcentration of toxicants from the soil to grazing plants.