Assessment of Selected Heavy Metal Level in Soil and Maize (Zea mays) Plant within the Vicinity of Auto Mechanic Workshops in Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Assessment of heavy metals in the environment is an important tool to evaluate the risk of toxic metals to humans. In order to achieve this, soil and plant samples were collected within the vicinities of auto mechanic workshops in Gwagwalada area council at five (5) sites used as the study areas and a control site. The soil and plant samples were analysed for five heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. The range of mean heavy metal concentration of the Auto mechanic soils were: Cd: 15.73 - 35.89 mg/kg, Cu: 112.05 - 170.42 mg/kg, Ni: 58.25 - 136.48 mg/kg, Pb: 105.59 - 316.57 mg/kg, Zn: 116.16 - 349.49 mg/kg while the range of mean heavy metal concentration in plants at the experimental sites was: Cd: 1.75 - 10.56 mg/kg, Cu: 25.38 - 79.42 mg/kg, Ni: 28.93 - 47.98 mg/kg, Pb: 5.48 - 33.48 mg/kg, Zn: 35.61 mg/kg - 111.54 mg/kg. The study indicated that consumption of plants grown on these sites could pose health hazard to man.