Download complete project material on Determining Heavy Metals In Soils And Vegetables Grown In Selected Areas in Kaduna from chapter one to five
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUTION
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BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Heavy metals are hazardous contaminants in food and the environment. They are non biodegradable having long biological half lives (Heidarieh et al., 2013). The implications associated with metal contamination are of great concern, particularly in agricultural production systems (Kachenko and Singh, 2006) due to their increasing trends in foods and environment. Metals most often found as contaminants in vegetables include As, Cd and Pb.
These metals can pose a significant health risk to humans, particularly in higher concentrations above the very low body requirements (Gupta et al., 2008)
So, the metals must be controlled in food sources in order to assure public health safety (WHO, 1995). Excessive amount of heavy metals in food causes a number of diseases, especially cardiovascular, renal, and neurological and bone diseases (Chailapakul et al., 2007). These metals could reach food chain through various biochemical processes and ultimately biomagnified in various tropic levels and eventually threaten the health of human.
The contamination of soils and vegetables by heavy metals is a global environmental issue. They are ubiquitous in the environment through various pathways, due to natural and anthropogenic activities (Wilson and Pyatt, 2007). Under certain environmental conditions, metals may accumulate to toxic concentration and cause ecological damages (Jofferies, 1984).
Sources of anthropogenic contamination include the addition of manures, sewage sludge, fertilizers and pesticides to soils (Jofferies, 1984). Several studies revealed the risks in increased soil metal concentration and consequent plant uptake (Whatmuff, 2002 and Mcbride, 2003).
Both commercial and residential areas are also vulnerable to atmospheric pollution in the form of metal containing aerosols. These aerosols can penetrate the soil and be absorbed by vegetables, alternatively be deposited on leaves and absorbed (Whatmuff, 2002 and Mcbride, 2003). Analysis of vegetables grown in locations close to industry has reported elevated levels of heavy metals contamination (Kachenko, 2006 and voutsa et al., 1996). Kachenko (2006) studied the impact of atmospheric pollution from industry on heavy metal contamination in vegetables grown in Greece.
The results of the study indicated significantly higher levels of metal accumulation in leafy vegetables as compared with root vegetables. The portioning of Cd is well known with accumulation of greater concentrations in the edible leafy portions of crops than the storage organs or fruits (Jinadasa et al., 1997).
1.1 POLLUTION
Pollution is defined as the introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment which are typically foreign substances particularly contaminated or toxin that produce some kind of negative or harmful impact on the environment or living beings. (Panagos et al., 2013).
WATER POLLUTION
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers and groundwater). This form of environmental degradation occurs when pollutants are directly or indirectly discharge into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds (Panagos et al., 2013). Sources of surface water pollution are generally grouped into two categories based on their origin.
POINT SOURCES
Point sources of water pollution refer to contaminants that enter a water way from a single, identifiable source such as a pipe or ditch. Examples of sources in this category include discharges from sewage treatment plant or factory (Panagos et al., 2013).
NON POINT SOURCES
Non point sources of water pollution refers to diffuse contamination that does not originate from a single discrete source. Non point source pollution is often the cumulative effect of small amounts of contaminants gathered from a large area. A common example is the leaching out of nitrogen compounds from fertilized agricultural lands (Moss, 2008).
SOIL
Soils are complex mixtures of minerals, water, air, organic matter and countless organisms that are decayed remains of once living things. It forms at the surface of land –“ it is the skin of the earth”. Soil is capable of supporting plant life and it is vital to life on earth. Soil performs many critical functions in almost any ecosystem (whether a farm, forest, marsh or sub urban watershed , etc).
There are seven roles that soils play:
Soils serve as media for growth of all kinds of plants.
Soils modify the atmosphere by emitting and absorbing gases (carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor and dust).
Soils provide habitat for animals that live in the soil (such as ground hogs and mice).
Soils absorb, hold, release, alter and purify most of the water in terrestrial systems..
Soils process recycled nutrients, including carbon so that living things can use them over and over again.
Soils serve as engineering media for construction of foundations, road beds, dams and buildings.
Soils act as a living filter to clean water before it moves into an aquifer.
COMPOSITION OF SOIL
Soil is a complex body composed of five major components namely:
Mineral matter obtained by the disintegration and decomposition of rocks;
Organic matter obtained by the decay of plant residues, animals remains and microbial tissues;
Water obtained from the atmosphere and the reaction in soil (chemical, physical and microbial);
Air or gases from atmosphere, reactions of root, microbes and chemicals in the soil;
Organisms both big (insect, worms) and microbes. (Olawoyin et al., 2012).
SOIL POLLUTION
Soil pollution occurs when the presence of toxic chemicals, pollutants or contaminants in the soil is in high concentrations to be of risk to plants, wild life, humans and of course, the soil. (Panagos et al., 2013).Soil pollution as part of land degradation is caused by the presence of xeno-biotic (human made) chemicals or other alteration in the natural soil environment.
It is typically caused by industrial activity, agricultural chemicals and improper disposal of waste, etc. The most common chemicals involved are petroleum hydrocarbons, solvents, pesticides, lead and other heavy metals (Olawoyin et al., 2012).
Sources of soil pollution include the following;
Oil drilling, mining, corrosion of underground storage tanks, acid rain, agrochemicals (such as fertilizers, herbicides, etc.), waste disposal, direct discharge of industrial waste into the soil. (Olawoyin et al., 2012).
1.5 VEGETABLES
Vegetables are any part of a plant that is consumed by humans as food or as part of a meal. Examples are cabbage, carrot, lettuce, spinach, peas, egg plant, tomato, cucumber, pumpkin, onion, etc (Bahemuka and Mubofu 1991).
1.5.1 IMPORTANCE OF VEGETABLE
Vegetables are important sources of many nutrients including potassium, dietary fiber, foliate (folic acid), vitamin (A, C and E).
Vegetables rich in potassium helps to maintain healthy blood pressure, vegetables sources of potassium include sweet potato, tomato, spinach, lima beans, etc.
Vegetables rich in fiber helps to reduce blood cholesterol levels and also lower the risk of heart diseases, fiber also helps to reduce constipation e.g. sponge gourd and bottle gourd (Bahemuka and Mubofu 1991).
Vegetable rich in folic acid act as a donor to nuclei and amino acid biosynthesis, examples are pumpkin leaves, spinach, etc.
Vegetable rich in vitamin A keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps to protect them against infections, e. g green leafy vegetables.
Vegetable containing vitamin C helps to heal cuts and wounds and also aid in iron absorption (Bahemuka and Mubofu 1991).
1.6 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY
The dumping of refuse close to water bodies and other human activities result to increased concentration levels of heavy metals in water, soil and vegetables. These heavy metals are transferable and not biodegradable and at some levels, they become toxic and tend to accumulate along the food chain (Bender et al., 2009). Neurological disorder, CNS destruction and cancers of various body organs are some of the reported effects of heavy metals poisoning (Bender et al., 2009).
Most farmers use waste or contaminated water for irrigation of various food crops including vegetables, especially leafy vegetables which have known to accumulate high amounts of heavy metals even in the presence of high levels of plant nutrient (Bender et al., 2009). It was found that farmers hardly knew the effects of using waste or contaminated water on agricultural land, therefore many people could be at risk of adverse health effects from consuming vegetables cultivated on contaminated soil.
Hence the need to asses possible presence of heavy metals in soil and in relation to their corresponding vegetables from Hayin Danmani, Kurmi mashi and Airport road becomes imperative in order to protect the living environment and reduce hazards that will emanate from the consumption of such vegetables.
1.7 AIM OF THE STUDY
This research is aimed at determining heavy metals in soils and vegetables grown in selected areas of Kaduna metropolis
1.8 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
To determine Cd, Cu, Co, Fe, Pb and Zn in spinach, lettuce and tomato obtained from Hayin danmani, Kurma mashi and airport road Kaduna, Kaduna state Nigeria.
To determine the concentrations of the metals in the corresponding soil samples.
To compare the concentrations of the metals in vegetable and soil samples.
To determine which of the extraction media has the highest concentration of the metals.
To compare the efficiency of the extraction media with respect to the metals under investigation.
To determine the implication of consuming the vegetables from Hayin danmani, Kurmi mashi and Airport road of Kaduna.
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