scholarly journals Comparison of heavy metals contamination and ecological risk between soils enriched with compost and chemical fertilizers in the North of Iran and ecological risk assessment

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdoliman Amouei ◽  
Hourieh Fallah ◽  
Hosseinali Asgharnia ◽  
Abbas Mousapour ◽  
Hadi Parsian ◽  
...  

Background: Nowadays, uncontrolled use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture is one of the reasons for the entry of heavy metals into the environment. In this study, the heavy metals contamination of the soils enriched with compost and chemical fertilizers in the North of Iran and its ecological risk assessment were evaluated. Methods: In this study, 108 soil samples were collected from agricultural soils of some places of Babol in Mazandaran province. An atomic absorption spectrophotometer (PG-990) was used to determine the concentrations of lead, cadmium, and zinc in the soil samples. The assessment of soil contamination was performed by the contamination factor, degree of contamination indices, and the potential ecological risk of the heavy metals. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Descriptive and chi-square tests were used to compare the mean with existing standards. Significant level was considered at P<0.05. Results: The highest lead concentration (35.7 ± 9.5 mg/kg) was observed at 5-cm depth, and the maximum cadmium (1.1 ± 0.2 mg/kg) and zinc (88 ± 22.6 mg/kg) concentrations were observed at 15-cm depth. The results showed that lead, cadmium, and zinc concentrations in the agricultural soils enriched with compost fertilizers were acceptable, but agricultural soils enriched with chemical fertilizers indicated higher content than those enriched with compost fertilizers and higher than the maximum allowable concentration. The maximum contamination degree, pollution index, and potential ecological risk in the agricultural soils enriched with the chemical fertilizers were 15.77, 1.97, and 293.48, respectively, and these soils had low potential pollution and moderate ecological risks. Conclusion: According to the results, it is necessary to use compost fertilizers for the agricultural soils enrichment.

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-41
Author(s):  
AA Enuneku ◽  
F Ineh

The potential ecological risk assessment of heavy metals contamination in surface sediments of Ikpoba River, Edo State was estimated in this study after assessment of heavy metal concentrations in surface sediments from seven stations of the study area. Heavy metals were analyzed in the sediments using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The index of geo-accumulation for the metals (Lead (Pb); Iron (Fe); Nickel (Ni) and Copper (Cu)) studied were less than zero showing that the stations sampled were unpolluted with heavy metals. Contamination factor followed same pattern. Generally, there was a low potential ecological risk for heavy metal contamination to sediment dwelling organisms. However, station 4 (Capitol) was moderately contaminated and extremely enriched with Cu. Heavy metal values in this study were below the EPA limits for sediments except station 4 which was heavily polluted with Cu following the EPA guidelines. Regular monitoring and assessment of pollution load of Ikpoba River is recommended.


Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 431
Author(s):  
Liangliang Huang ◽  
Saeed Rad ◽  
Li Xu ◽  
Liangying Gui ◽  
Xiaohong Song ◽  
...  

This research has focused on the source identification, concentration, and ecological risk assessment of eight heavy metals in the largest karst wetland (Huixian) of south China. Numerous samples from superficial soil and sediment within ten representative landuse types were collected and examined, and the results were analyzed using multiple methods. Single pollution index (Pi) results were underpinned by the Geoaccumulation index (Igeo) method, in which Cd was observed as the priority pollutant with the highest contamination degree in this area. As for the most polluted landuse type, via applying Nemerow’s synthetical contamination index (PN) and Potential ecological risk index (RI), the river and rape field posed the highest ecological risks, while moderate for the rest. To quantify the drivers of the contaminants, a principal component analysis (PCA) was carried out and weathering of the watershed’s parent carbonate rocks was found to be the main possible origin, followed by anthropogenic sources induced by agricultural fertilizer. Considering the impacts of these potentially toxic elements on public health, the results of this study are essential to take preventive actions for environmental protection and sustainable development in the region.


Author(s):  
L. Salami ◽  
J. G. Akinbomi ◽  
R. J. Patinvoh

Soil contaminated with heavy metals poses an ecological risk especially to public health. The aim of this work is to assess the ecological risk of heavy metals in soil of Lagos State University (LASU), Epe, Lagos State, Nigeria. Soil samples were collected from 8 different points in LASU which were stored in various polythene bags labeled SS1 – SS8. A control sample was taken 1 km away from LASU and was labeled SC9. All the sampling locations were identified using handheld Global Positioning System (GPS) for the purpose of universal identification. The soil samples were analysed for nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd) and Iron (Fe) using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Enrichment factor (EF), potential ecological risk (Ei) and ecological risk index (RI) were carried out using the data from the analysis. The results revealed that all the EF values were less than 2 except that of lead in SS1. The Ei values were less than 40 except that of lead in SS1. Moreover RI values of all the soil samples investigated were less than 150. It was obvious from this work that the soil of LASU, Epe, Lagos State, were not enriched with heavy metals and have a low potential ecological risk.


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