American Journal of Environmental Protection

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Assessment of Potentially Toxic Metals in Soil and Sediment of the Keana Brinefield in the Middle Benue Trough, Northcentral Nigeria

Received: 29 September 2014    Accepted: 07 October 2014    Published: 31 December 2014
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Abstract

This research was conducted in the Keana area of the middle Benue trough endowed with abundant mineral deposits (brine/salt, lead-zinc sulfide ores, barite and limestone) and has a long history of mining activity. Small scale mining activity in the area is currently increasing in intensity causing immeasurable damage to the environment and to the surrounding communities. Potentially toxic metal releases and remobilization from the mining sites into the surrounding arable soils and stream sediments poses serious human health risks since the surrounding communities live and grow their food from such environment. This research assesses the accumulation and the extent of contamination of Potentially Toxic Metals (PTM) in the vicinity of the mining environment using standard pollution indices such as geo-accumulation index (Igeo), Enrichment Factor (EF), Contamination Factor (CF) and Pollution Load Index (PLI). A total of 40 samples were analyzed for As, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sc, Sr and Zn, using ICP-OES geochemical technique. Analysis of geochemical data shows that the soil and stream sediments in the area are extremely polluted by Zn, Cr and Ni, having Igeo values of 4.9, 3.8 and 2.9 respectively. Igeo levels of Pb, Cr and Ba indicate moderate to no pollution. Zn and As with EF of 128.60 and 87.66 respectively, are severely enriched in the environment, while Pb, Ni and Cr with EF between 6 and 8, are moderately enriched. The calculated CF and PLI values for Cu, Sr and Sc in the soil and sediments remain very low, indicating these media are not contaminated by these elements. A pollution load index of < 1 as seen in most locations for those elements, indicate no pollution. The continued exposure of the populations living in this area particularly those in the mining locations who depend on the soil (for subsistence farming) and water from ponds, wells and boreholes (for drinking, cooking and other domestic uses), would result in various health risks and concerns, if not checked or abated. Lead, for example is known to be toxic even at very low exposure, with chronic lethal effects. This study recommends an immediate plan for analysis of the quality of drinking water and some staple crops grown in the area to determine the levels of these noxious metals and uptake by plants, to be followed by a comprehensive mitigation or remediation plan.

DOI 10.11648/j.ajep.s.2014030602.21
Published in American Journal of Environmental Protection (Volume 3, Issue 6-2, December 2014)

This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Earth Materials, Diet, Water and Human Health

Page(s) 77-88
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Potentially Toxic Metals, Contamination, Human Health, Soils, Sediments, Benue Trough

References
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[2] Da Silva, E.F., Zhang, C., Pinto, L.S., Patinha, C., & Reis, P. (2004). Hazard assessment of arsenic and lead in soils of Castromil Gold mining area, Portugal. Applied Geochemistry, 19, 887-898.
[3] Forstner U., Ahlif, W., & Calmano, W. (1993). Sediment Quality Objectives and Criteria Development in Germany. Water Science Tehcnology, 28, 307-316
[4] Hakanson, L. (1980). An ecological risk index for aquatic pollution control and sedimentological approaches. Water Research Journal, 14, 975-1001
[5] Lar, U.A., & Sallau, A.K. (2005). Trace element geochemistry of the Keana brinesfield, middle Benue trough, Nigeria. Journal of Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 27(4), 331-339.
[6] Lar, U.A., & Tejan, A.B. (2008). Highlights of some environmental problems of geo-medical significance in Nigeria. Journal of Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 30, 383-389.
[7] Lar, U.A. (2013). Trace elements and health: An environmental risk in Nigeria. Earth Sciences, 2(3), 66-72, London: Science Publishing Group.
[8] Loska, K., Cehula, J., Pelczar, J., Weichula, D., & Kwapuyinski, J. (1997). Use of enrichment and conatmination factors together with geo-accummulation indexes to evaluate Cd, Cu and Ni in the Rybnic water reservoir in Poland. Water, Air and Soil Pollution, 93, 347-365.
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[12] Offodile, M.E. (1976b): A hydrogeochemical interpretation of the middle Benue and Abakaliki brinefields. Journal of Mineralogy and Geology, 13, 2-15.
[13] Olade, M.A. (1976). On the genesis of lead-zinc deposits in Nigeria’s Benue rift (Aulacogen): A reinterpretation. Journal Mining Geology, 13(2), 20-27
[14] Ogola, J.S. (2003). Impact of gold mining on the environment and human health: A case study in the Migori gold belt in Kenya, Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 24, 141-158
[15] Sutherland, R.A. (2000). Bed sediments associated trace elements in an urban stream, Oahu, Hawaii. Envrinmental Geology, 39, 611-627.
[16] Szefer, P., Pempkowiak, J., Skwarzec, B., & Bojanowiski, R. (1996). Distribution and co-associations of selected metals in seals of the Antarctic. Environmental Pollution, 83, 341-349.
[17] Tomlinson, D. C., Wilson, J. G., Harris, C. R., & Jeffrey, D. W. (1980). Problems in the assessment of heavy metal levels in estuaries and the formation of a pollution index. Helgoland Mar. Resources 33, 566-575.
[18] Davies, T.C. (2003). Some environmental problems of geomedical relevance in East and Southern Africa. In: geology and Health (pp.139-144). Elsevier. Oxford University Press
[19] Chen,Y.W., Belzile,N. and Gunn, J.M. (2001) Antagonistic effects of selenium on mercury assimilation by fish population at Sunbery metal smelter. Limnol Oceanology 46; 1814-1818
[20] Hakanson, L. (1980). An ecological risk index for aquatic pollution control. A sedimentological approach. Water Res., 14: 975-1001.
[21] Kabata-Pendias, A. and Pendias, H. (1999) Trace elements in soils and plants, 3rd ed., CRC Presss, Boca Raton, FL
[22] Zhang, K.L., (1998) Keshan disease. In : Geng, G.Y. (Ed) Epidemilogy Vol.3, 2nd Edition, People Publishing House, Beijing, pp378-397.
[23] Lar, U. A., Walsh, A., Ashano,C., Ogezi, A.E. and Nixon, P. (2000). Mobilization of major and trace elements (including REE) in weathered basaltic rocks of the Jos Plateau. African Journal of Natural Sciences Vol.3 pp40-56.
[24] Kabata-Pendias, A., & Sadurski, W. (2004). Trace Elements and Compounds in Soil. In Merian, E., Anke. M., Ihnat, M. & Stoepppler, M. (Eds.). Elements and Their Compounds in the Environment, 2nd Ed. (pp 79–99), Weinheim: Willey
[25] Sallau, A.K. (2014). Environmental assessment of trace elements distribution in the Awe-Keana Brinefield, middle Benue trough Nigeria. An unpublished PhD thesis in the Department of Geology, University of Jos, Nigeria (In Press)
Author Information
  • The Carter Centre, Tudun Wada, P.O. Box 7772 Jos, Plateau State Nigeria

  • Department of Geology, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria

  • Department of Geology, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria

  • Department of Geology, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria

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    Sallau Adamu, Mangs Ayuba, Adamu Murtala, Lar Alexander Uriah. (2014). Assessment of Potentially Toxic Metals in Soil and Sediment of the Keana Brinefield in the Middle Benue Trough, Northcentral Nigeria. American Journal of Environmental Protection, 3(6-2), 77-88. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajep.s.2014030602.21

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    ACS Style

    Sallau Adamu; Mangs Ayuba; Adamu Murtala; Lar Alexander Uriah. Assessment of Potentially Toxic Metals in Soil and Sediment of the Keana Brinefield in the Middle Benue Trough, Northcentral Nigeria. Am. J. Environ. Prot. 2014, 3(6-2), 77-88. doi: 10.11648/j.ajep.s.2014030602.21

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    AMA Style

    Sallau Adamu, Mangs Ayuba, Adamu Murtala, Lar Alexander Uriah. Assessment of Potentially Toxic Metals in Soil and Sediment of the Keana Brinefield in the Middle Benue Trough, Northcentral Nigeria. Am J Environ Prot. 2014;3(6-2):77-88. doi: 10.11648/j.ajep.s.2014030602.21

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajep.s.2014030602.21,
      author = {Sallau Adamu and Mangs Ayuba and Adamu Murtala and Lar Alexander Uriah},
      title = {Assessment of Potentially Toxic Metals in Soil and Sediment of the Keana Brinefield in the Middle Benue Trough, Northcentral Nigeria},
      journal = {American Journal of Environmental Protection},
      volume = {3},
      number = {6-2},
      pages = {77-88},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajep.s.2014030602.21},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajep.s.2014030602.21},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajep.s.2014030602.21},
      abstract = {This research was conducted in the Keana area of the middle Benue trough endowed with abundant mineral deposits (brine/salt, lead-zinc sulfide ores, barite and limestone) and has a long history of mining activity. Small scale mining activity in the area is currently increasing in intensity causing immeasurable damage to the environment and to the surrounding communities. Potentially toxic metal releases and remobilization from the mining sites into the surrounding arable soils and stream sediments poses serious human health risks since the surrounding communities live and grow their food from such environment. This research assesses the accumulation and the extent of contamination of Potentially Toxic Metals (PTM) in the vicinity of the mining environment using standard pollution indices such as geo-accumulation index (Igeo), Enrichment Factor (EF), Contamination Factor (CF) and Pollution Load Index (PLI). A total of 40 samples were analyzed for As, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sc, Sr and Zn, using ICP-OES geochemical technique. Analysis of geochemical data shows that the soil and stream sediments in the area are extremely polluted by Zn, Cr and Ni, having Igeo values of 4.9, 3.8 and 2.9 respectively. Igeo levels of Pb, Cr and Ba indicate moderate to no pollution. Zn and As with EF of 128.60 and 87.66 respectively, are severely enriched in the environment, while Pb, Ni and Cr with EF between 6 and 8, are moderately enriched. The calculated CF and PLI values for Cu, Sr and Sc in the soil and sediments remain very low, indicating these media are not contaminated by these elements. A pollution load index of < 1 as seen in most locations for those elements, indicate no pollution. The continued exposure of the populations living in this area particularly those in the mining locations who depend on the soil (for subsistence farming) and water from ponds, wells and boreholes (for drinking, cooking and other domestic uses), would result in various health risks and concerns, if not checked or abated. Lead, for example is known to be toxic even at very low exposure, with chronic lethal effects. This study recommends an immediate plan for analysis of the quality of drinking water and some staple crops grown in the area to determine the levels of these noxious metals and uptake by plants, to be followed by a comprehensive mitigation or remediation plan.},
     year = {2014}
    }
    

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    AU  - Sallau Adamu
    AU  - Mangs Ayuba
    AU  - Adamu Murtala
    AU  - Lar Alexander Uriah
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    JF  - American Journal of Environmental Protection
    JO  - American Journal of Environmental Protection
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    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajep.s.2014030602.21
    AB  - This research was conducted in the Keana area of the middle Benue trough endowed with abundant mineral deposits (brine/salt, lead-zinc sulfide ores, barite and limestone) and has a long history of mining activity. Small scale mining activity in the area is currently increasing in intensity causing immeasurable damage to the environment and to the surrounding communities. Potentially toxic metal releases and remobilization from the mining sites into the surrounding arable soils and stream sediments poses serious human health risks since the surrounding communities live and grow their food from such environment. This research assesses the accumulation and the extent of contamination of Potentially Toxic Metals (PTM) in the vicinity of the mining environment using standard pollution indices such as geo-accumulation index (Igeo), Enrichment Factor (EF), Contamination Factor (CF) and Pollution Load Index (PLI). A total of 40 samples were analyzed for As, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sc, Sr and Zn, using ICP-OES geochemical technique. Analysis of geochemical data shows that the soil and stream sediments in the area are extremely polluted by Zn, Cr and Ni, having Igeo values of 4.9, 3.8 and 2.9 respectively. Igeo levels of Pb, Cr and Ba indicate moderate to no pollution. Zn and As with EF of 128.60 and 87.66 respectively, are severely enriched in the environment, while Pb, Ni and Cr with EF between 6 and 8, are moderately enriched. The calculated CF and PLI values for Cu, Sr and Sc in the soil and sediments remain very low, indicating these media are not contaminated by these elements. A pollution load index of < 1 as seen in most locations for those elements, indicate no pollution. The continued exposure of the populations living in this area particularly those in the mining locations who depend on the soil (for subsistence farming) and water from ponds, wells and boreholes (for drinking, cooking and other domestic uses), would result in various health risks and concerns, if not checked or abated. Lead, for example is known to be toxic even at very low exposure, with chronic lethal effects. This study recommends an immediate plan for analysis of the quality of drinking water and some staple crops grown in the area to determine the levels of these noxious metals and uptake by plants, to be followed by a comprehensive mitigation or remediation plan.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 6-2
    ER  - 

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