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RISK ASSESSMENT OF HEAVY METALS IN CROPS AND SOIL FROM A DUMPSITE IN RUMUOLUMENI, PORT HARCOURT ....

The concentration and danger of lead, cobalt, cadmium, nickel, chromium, arsenic, zinc, and iron in waterleaf (Talinum triangulare), fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis), cassava tuber (Manihot esculenta crantz), and soil from the Rumuolumeni dumpsite in Port Harcourt were examined. The order of heavy metal contamination was iron>zinc>chromium>nickel>lead>cobalt>cadmium>arsenic, according to the results. Iron (80.001.070 mg/Kg) and zinc (14.910.197 mg/Kg) had the greatest soil levels, whereas arsenic (0.0140.050 mg/Kg) had the lowest. Iron (61.802.038 mg/kg) and zinc (11.030.107 mg/kg) were the greatest in the cassava tuber, whereas arsenic (0.0040.005 mg/kg) was the lowest. The highest concentrations of iron (43.150.881 mg/kg) and zinc (8.9790.193 mg/kg) were found in fluted pumpkin, but no cobalt or cadmium were found. Waterleaf contained the highest concentrations of iron (37.721.962 mg/kg) and zinc (6.7970.208 mg/kg), but no arsenic was found. The levels of zinc, chromium, and nickel were all above the WHO's permitted limit. The soil-to-plant transfer factor was as high as 75-90 percent, particularly for cassava tuber. Except for arsenic, cobalt, and lead in some samples, the enrichment factor demonstrated that the contamination comes from anthropogenic sources. Chromium and iron posed the greatest non-carcinogenic risk, while cobalt and lead posed a threat to cassava tubers. Carcinogenic metals as lead (1.2E-4), cadmium (1.2E-4), nickel (2.6E-2) and chromium (1.2E-2) posed comparatively large risks from soil intake (1.2E-2). These values are greater than the USEPA's 10-4- 10-6 guideline for carcinogenic compounds in the environment management choices. Nickel and chromium in waterleaf, fluted pumpkin, and cassava, with estimated values ranging from 3.7E-3 to 2.3E-2, are the other heavy metals with a high carcinogenic risk. According to the findings, the dangers of eating food grown in a dumpsite setting are high and should be avoided.



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