Assessment of toxic metal pollution in soil, leaves and tree barks: bio-indicators of atmospheric particulate deposition within a University community in Nigeria.
Ipeaiyeda A. R., Dawodu M.
Author Affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Ibadan, P.O. Box 20000, Ibadan, Nigeria.
AES Bioflux 6 : 101-110
Abstract : Heavy metal contents of road-side soil, tree barks and leaves of mango (Mangifera indica), tick (Tectona grandis), almond (Terminalia catappa), cashew (Anacardium occidentale) and Gmelina (Gmelina arborea) collected from a University community in Iwo town, Nigeria were assessed as potential air pollution indicators. This is the first study on the heavy metal contents in selected type of sample in this town. Concentrations of Mn, Cu, Pb, Cr, and Cd in the samples from the University community were far above the background metal contents. Majority of the samples were in the range of concentrations previously reported in literature. The exception was Mn with concentration ranges of 438-980 mg kg-1 for soil, 460-1960 mg kg-1 for leaves and 1450-3840 mg kg-1 for tree barks. The order of abundance which probably reflects the preferential atmospheric burden of heavy metals in tree backs and leaves was majorly Mn > Cu > Pb > Cr > Cd.