Assessment of metal accumulation in plant and soil at Eggon community mining site, Nasarawa, Nigeria

Abstract

The extent of soil contamination by heavy metals and the potentials of herbaceous plant species to remediate the soils at a selected mining site in Nasarawa state were assessed. Herbaceous plants and their associated soils were collected from Eggon community mining site in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. There was a generally higher concentration of the heavy metals in most of the plants than in soils which indicates the ability of the plant to tolerate and accumulate these metals. None of the collected plants attained the status of hyperaccumulator. However, most of the plants have potentials of been a phytostabilizer or phytoextractor. At the mining site, Pseudognaphalium luteo and Cyperus rotundus were observed to be the phytoextractor and phytostabilizer of Lead respectively. These same two plants could also extract Copper, whereas Eclipta alba was identified as a phytoextractor of Manganesse. Also, Pseudognaphalium luteo, Physalis minima, Cyperus rotundus, and Sphenoclea zeylancia were observed as phytostabilizers of the metal.