ASSESSMENT OF HEAVY METALS IN SOME SELECTED VEGETABLE FIELDS IRRIGATED WITH WASTE WATER ALONG KUBANNI WATER COURSE IN ZARIA METROPOLIS

📄 Project Abstract

The need to assess the heavy metals uptake by vegetables cultivated and irrigated with wastewater along the watercourse of a stream, have led to a controlled field experiments in Zaria Metropolis. Five heavy metals; Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Lead (Pb), Manganese (Mn) and Zinc (Zn) were determined using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS).The pollution load index (PLI), plant transfer factor (TF), daily intake of metals (DIM) and health risk index (HRI) were used to study the pollution status and the health risks the consumers may be exposed to by the consumption of the heavy metal contaminated vegetables in the metropolis. In this study, the quality of the stream (Kubanni River) contaminated with municipal wastewater and used for irrigation of carrot, spinach and cabbage was investigated at three sampling points (A, B, and C) for its heavy metal buildup. The contaminated water used for irrigation at each irrigation date, and the irrigated vegetables harvested after maturit...