Assessment of the Physicochemical and Heavy Metals Concentration of Municipal Dumpsite in Nyanya District, Abuja, Nigeria
By Uchendu Jude I, Obafemi, A. A. , Mbee, M. D., Abu, G. O, Abah, A.Due to
poor landfill management and leachate contamination prevention, landfills or
dumpsites remain among the most common human-induced contaminated sites in many
developing countries, including Nigeria. The study examines the assessment of
the physicochemical (pH, total cation-exchange capacity (TCEC), ion of
Potassium (K+), Calcium (Ca+), Sodium (Na+) and Magnesium (Mg2+)) and heavy
metals (lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn) and Manganese (Mn))
concentration of municipal dumpsite in Nyanya district, Abuja, Nigeria. The pH
values of the soil samples indicate that they are acidic, trending as SP1 and
SP5 (6.9) > SP2 (6.79) > SP3 (5.98) > SP4 (5.56) > SP6 (4.1). The
Pb reported across the study area was above the WHO limit and trended as SP1
(2.63) > SP4 (2.6) > SP5 (0.753) > SP4 (0.752) > SP6 (0.65) >
SP3 (0.628). The Cadmium (Cd) concentration ranged from 0.246 mg/L at SP6 to
0.292 mg/L at SP1 with a mean concentration of 0.27, and all concentrations
exceeded the WHO allowable limit of 0.001. The Copper (Cu) concentration ranged
from 0.044 mg/L at SP3 to 0.57 mg/L at SP2 with a mean concentration of 0.40,
and all concentrations were within the WHO allowable limit of 1.5. The study
outcome indicated soil pollution with Cd and Pb due to dumpsite activities.
Therefore, there is a need for environmental management practices and effective
waste management systems around the dump site.