Bioaccumulation and Potential Risk Assessments of Heavy Metals in Two Varieties of Edible Vegetables (Amaranthus hybridus and Celosia argentea) around Lapite Dump Site, Akinyele Local Government Area, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the bioaccumulation and potential risk assessments of heavy metals in two varieties of edible vegetables (Amaranthus hybridus and Celosia argentea) around Lapite Dump Site of Akinyele Local Government Area, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria using different standard analytical techniques. The mean concentrations of the heavy metals showed that Pb, Cd and Mn (3.05mg/kg, 0.67mg/kg, and 129.61mg/kg) are the metals with means higher than their respective permissible values (PL) for humans (0.3mg/kg, 0.2mg/kg, and 6.64mg/kg respectively). These three heavy metals are also the metals with the most significant contamination and pollution factor according to the calculated contamination factor and geo-accumulation index. The bioaccumulation factors showed that Mn and Zn are the heavy metals accumulated most in the plants with the leaves having high content of these metals more than the stems. Pollution load index calculated revealed that the dumpsite area has been deteriorated (PLI > 1) making activities around the area (including agriculture) and the habitants at high risk of health hazards. Consequently, planting and other human activities in this area should be discouraged while appropriate authorities should get involved in impact assessment of the environment to relocate the farms and habitants of the area to a more suitable and environmental friendly area.