Effects of heavy metal dumping on soil, water and plant within akure, Ondo State

The levels of heavy metals contaminations of both soil and water were investigated at Ondo state waste dumping site at Igbatoro road, new stadium scrap market and FUTA research farm. Eight different heavy metals (Zn, Cr, Cu, Cd, Pb, Co, Fe and Ni) were measured in eight sampling units of soil, four from each dump site. These heavy metals were also analysed for water samples from four sampling units, two samples from each dump site and for maize plant, four samples, three from dumpsite and one from FUTA research farm as control. Physical properties of soil were analysed and classified to be sandy clay loam. Soil and water pH were determined using pH meter, with values range from 6.62 to 7.90. Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer was used for the determination of the heavy metals in the soil and water samples. The mean values of heavy metals in soil from both dump sites range between 205.00 and 0.03 for Fe and Cd respectively. The concentration of heavy metals analyzed of soil samples from both dump sites were high but were within the Dutch and WHO standard. The mean concentration of Cd, Co, Ni, and Cr were low in the soil and maize planted while Cu, Zn, Fe and Pb were high in the soil, water and maize planted. It is evident that the wastes and metals dumped on these study areas are gradually affecting the quality of soil and groundwater through the production of acidic leachate.