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Published:
Dec 13, 2016DOI:
10.4314/just.v36i2.6Keywords:
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DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL LEAD, COPPER, ZINC AND CADMIUM IN SOILS ALONG THE HIGHWAY FROM TAFO TO ABOASO IN KUMASI IN THE ASHANTI REGION OF GHANA
Abstract
Levels of some heavy metals in soils along the highway from Tafo to Aboaso in Kumasi in the Ashanti region of Ghana were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. Soil samples were collected at distances of 5 m, 20 m and 50 m from the roadside and at depths of 0-5 cm, 5-10 cm and 10-15 cm. Lead concentrations varied from 152.5 to 878.0 mg kg-1,zinc from 65.8 to 712 mg kg-1, copper from 18.8 to 114.8 mg kg-1 and cadmium from 0.80 to 4.5 mg kg-1. The concentrations of Lead, Zinc, Copper and Cadmium all decreased with increasing distance from the road and with decreasing vehicular traffic density indicating their relation to traffic. The concentrations of the metals also decreased with depth in the soil profile indicating that the source of the metals was aerial deposition from motor vehicles. The heavy metal content of the soils for every distance from the roadside was found in the order Lead>Zinc>Copper>Cadmium.
Keywords: Roadside soil; vehicular traffic; lead, copper; zinc; cadmium
