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STUDIES OF SOIL POLLUTION IN NSUKKA URBAN, SOUTHEASTERN, NIGERIA
Ozoko Daniel Chukwuemeka* and Amadi Augustus Chika
Abstract:
Several studies have shown that soils within urban areas can be severely contaminated by heavy metals. In present study, 11surface soil sampleswere collected from dumpsites, mechanic village, agricultural farmland, sewage lodge, major market, motor park and major abattoirs throughout the Nsukka urban for analysis.The concentration levels of Fe, Mn, As, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Ni, Cu, and Hg in these samples were measuredand statistically analysedusing standard procedures. The spatial distribution of heavy metals was analysed by the inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation method. Pearson correlation matrix was used to ascertain contamination sources of ten heavy metals and to determine the contribution of each source. Results of the analysis show that theconcentrations of heavy metals in many samples exceeded thevalues defined by the World Health Organization
