Assessment of Heavy Metals Pollution in Soils and Vegetation around Selected Industries in Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

In this study, eleven soil samples and twenty-twoplants samples were collected in the vicinity of eleven industries and a thermal station was analyzed for zinc, copper, iron, lead and cadmium. Soil sample from Egbin thermal station had the highest concentration of Zn (141.06 mg/kg) and Cu (131.70 mg/kg). Soil from international textile had the highest level of Fe and the soil from Nichemtex had the highest concentration Pb and Cd was the highest in soil from Guinness (28.91 mg/kg, 59.80 mg/kg and 1.72 mg/kg respectively). The highest concentrations of the heavy metals were observed from different plants species. Analyses of variance (p < 0.05) showed that heavy metal variation in plant and soil samples were not significant (p > 0.5). There were positive correlations between the heavy metals in the soils and the plant samples indicated that the plants obtained the heavy metals from the soil. Plants having BCF values less than one had limited ability to accumulate, translocate and phytoextract heavy metals. These plants in this study with higher Bioconcentration Factor value especially those greater than one (Croton lobatus, Borreria sp., Cyathula prostrata, Lantana camara, Ficus sp., Mimosa pudica, Eclipta prostrata, Commelina sp. etc.) were suggested for further research and assessment on their bioaccumulation abilities and phytoremediation potential.