Heavy Metal Contamination in Swampy Agricultural Soils of Kokona, Nasarawa, Nigeria

Absorption of heavy metals through swampy agricultural soils may have serious consequences on human health. Present study determined the levels of Chromium (Cr), Nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Pb) using X- Ray Spectrometry in 10 swampy agricultural soils. The result of this study revealed that, the heavy metals with their respective concentrations (Cr (278.1), Ni (462.1), Cu (314.1), Zn (502.8), As (13.5), Cd (524.5) and Pb (295.5)) were found in the soil samples in mg/kg. It also pointed out that the concentration of the heavy metals in the all soil samples for all locations in decreasing order was Cd > Zn >Ni > Cu >Pb > Cr >As. The concentration in swampy agricultural soils from Kokona was obviously higher than the safe limit set by the regulatory bodies which may be because of the geological activities in the studied area. Hence, heavy metals accumulation in swampy agricultural soils is a big concern in Kokona where people’s daily meal largely contains rice or rice based products which are mostly cultivated in swampy agricultural soils.