HEAVY METAL CONCENTRATIONS IN GUINEA GRASS (PANICUM MAXIMUM) GROWN ALONG THE OMOKU-AHOADA ROAD, RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA.

UMESI, N., KIENABERE, O. I., EKANEM, U. P., ITUH, E. M., & IJOMAH, E. I.
Department of Biology,
School of Secondary Education (Science),
Federal College of Education (Technical) Omoku, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Correspondence Email : ndubuisi.umesi@fcetomoku.edu.ng

Abstract

Soil contamination with heavy metals is a serious global environmental problem. Guinea grass (Panicum maximum) a good nutritional value for livestock can be found on roadside in all seasons (wet and dry) and has the potential to accumulate heavy metals in tissues from the soil This paper examined the the concentrations of heavy metal in surface soil and Panicum maximum as well as the uptake of the heavy metals by Panicum maximum along the Omoku-Ahoada Road. Five Samples of Panicum maximum and surface soil (0-15cm depth) were collected from 5 sampling stations in a study stretch along Omoku-Ahoada Road spanning the School of Vocational Education (SVE), Federal College of Education (Technial) Omoku to Okposi Palm Oil Mill in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. Plant and soil samples were characterized for the heavy metals chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd). Mean concentrations of Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd in tissues of Panicum maximum were obtained. Data were processed and organized into tables and scatterplots using the descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation. Differences in means were evaluated using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Significant differences in means were further investigated using the Tukey HSD test at the 95% significance level. Bivariate linear regression analysis was conducted to evaluate cause-effect relationships. The ANOVA on heavy metal concentrations of Panicum maximum (F4,16 = 78.326, P < 0.05) and soil (F4,16 = 152.845, P < 0.05) were statistically significant. Results of bivariate regression analysis were also significant and showed that soil concentrations of heavy metals accounted for approximately 84% of the variance of the concentration of heavy metals in Panicum maximum. Paper concluded among others that the heavy metal concentrations recorded in soils and Panicum maximum in this study were within regulatory limits and are thus not indicative of soil pollution with heavy metals. Hence, there was no evidence indicating that soils and Panicum maximum along the Omoku-Ahoada Road were polluted with heavy metals. Also, evidence in support of bioaccumulation was lacking, as the calculated metal transfer factor (MTF) values for the heavy metals investigated were less than 1.
Keywords: Heavy Metal, Panicum maximum, Soil Pollution & Metal Transfer Factor

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