Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences: Research Areas

Abstract:
The application of agricultural products to soil and crops became a common practice in horticulture, these practices results in high levels of heavy metals in the sediments and soils. Contaminated soils have a direct impact on animal and human health through the quality of food and water. The concentration Cd, Ni, Co, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn were determined experimentally in agricultural soils of Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa state using the HNO3-H2O2. The method gave good recoveries for the metals, ranging from 88% in Co to 95% in Mn yields. The metals concentration in agricultural soil of Keffi were found to be Cd = 0.76, Ni = 6.02, Co = 8.77, Cu = 9.74, Mn = 26.53, Pb = 12.74 and Zn = 16.02 �g/g. All the metals in the study area sites recorded higher levels than the control site, and the correlation between the metals were positive as well as negative in some metals. The low levels of heavy metals in the study area as compared to others areas indicates that the soil is not yet contaminated with heavy metal; which is good for agricultural productions

Keywords: heavy metal, agricultural, horticulture, soil, application.

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