Trace Element Status and Environmental Implications of Soils and Zea mays from Farmed Dumpsites in the Bamenda Metropolis, North-West Cameroon
This study assessed some physicochemical and trace element properties of soils and Zea mays from farmed dumpsites in the Bamenda metropolis, North-West Cameroon. The growth in population and metal workshops in Bamenda has resulted in the dumping of large quantities of wastes on agricultural soils. T...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Applied and Environmental Soil Science |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8861102 |
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| author | Mofor Nelson Alakeh Njoyim Estella Buleng Tamungang Mbene Kenneth Yuhinwenkeh Njumbo Blaise Nchofua Festus Biosengazeh |
| author_facet | Mofor Nelson Alakeh Njoyim Estella Buleng Tamungang Mbene Kenneth Yuhinwenkeh Njumbo Blaise Nchofua Festus Biosengazeh |
| author_sort | Mofor Nelson Alakeh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study assessed some physicochemical and trace element properties of soils and Zea mays from farmed dumpsites in the Bamenda metropolis, North-West Cameroon. The growth in population and metal workshops in Bamenda has resulted in the dumping of large quantities of wastes on agricultural soils. Thus, the fear of these agricultural soils and crops being contaminated by waste dumped on them is a call for concern because most of the populations rely on agriculture for survival. A soil and Zea mays sample each was collected from three farmed dumpsites (Nkwen, Mankon, and Bamendakwe) in the Bamenda metropolis and analyzed for physicochemical and trace element properties using standard procedures. The results of physicochemical analysis revealed that the soils had pH values ranging from 5.63 to 7.49, average organic matter, low total nitrogen, high C/N ratio, and high CEC, and the soil textural class was clay loam for soils of Nkwen and sandy loam for soils of Mankon and Bamendakwe. The content of bases in Zea mays was high compared to those in the soil. The concentration of Fe (14635.6 µg/g) in soils of Bamendakwe and Cu (157.17 µg/g) and Zn (1438.36 µg/g) in soils of Mankon had values which were above the permissible limit. The concentration of Zn (114.48 µg/g) in the plant sample of Mankon together with the concentration of Fe in all three plant samples had values above permissible limits. Natural origins and domestic waste were identified as the major sources of trace metals in the soils. Thus, there are potential health hazards related to consuming crops from such soils. Bioremediation techniques can be used to recover heavy metals from such soils. Furthermore, the mobilization of nutrient ions and immobilization of heavy metals by induced liming could be important in sustainable agricultural production and soil environmental protection of the soils studied. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4b01218c05804f91a1db2bb092fac5a2 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1687-7667 1687-7675 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied and Environmental Soil Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-4b01218c05804f91a1db2bb092fac5a22025-02-03T01:00:27ZengWileyApplied and Environmental Soil Science1687-76671687-76752020-01-01202010.1155/2020/88611028861102Trace Element Status and Environmental Implications of Soils and Zea mays from Farmed Dumpsites in the Bamenda Metropolis, North-West CameroonMofor Nelson Alakeh0Njoyim Estella Buleng Tamungang1Mbene Kenneth2Yuhinwenkeh Njumbo Blaise3Nchofua Festus Biosengazeh4Department of Mining and Mineral Engineering, National Higher Polytechnic Institute (NAHPI), The University of Bamenda, Bambili, CameroonDepartment of Chemistry, Higher Teacher Training College, The University of Bamenda, Bambili, CameroonDepartment of Chemistry, Higher Teacher Training College, University of Yaounde 1, P.O. Box 47, Yaounde, CameroonDepartment of Chemistry, Higher Teacher Training College, The University of Bamenda, Bambili, CameroonResearch Unit of Noxious Chemistry and Environmental Engineering (RUNOCHEE), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, Dschang, CameroonThis study assessed some physicochemical and trace element properties of soils and Zea mays from farmed dumpsites in the Bamenda metropolis, North-West Cameroon. The growth in population and metal workshops in Bamenda has resulted in the dumping of large quantities of wastes on agricultural soils. Thus, the fear of these agricultural soils and crops being contaminated by waste dumped on them is a call for concern because most of the populations rely on agriculture for survival. A soil and Zea mays sample each was collected from three farmed dumpsites (Nkwen, Mankon, and Bamendakwe) in the Bamenda metropolis and analyzed for physicochemical and trace element properties using standard procedures. The results of physicochemical analysis revealed that the soils had pH values ranging from 5.63 to 7.49, average organic matter, low total nitrogen, high C/N ratio, and high CEC, and the soil textural class was clay loam for soils of Nkwen and sandy loam for soils of Mankon and Bamendakwe. The content of bases in Zea mays was high compared to those in the soil. The concentration of Fe (14635.6 µg/g) in soils of Bamendakwe and Cu (157.17 µg/g) and Zn (1438.36 µg/g) in soils of Mankon had values which were above the permissible limit. The concentration of Zn (114.48 µg/g) in the plant sample of Mankon together with the concentration of Fe in all three plant samples had values above permissible limits. Natural origins and domestic waste were identified as the major sources of trace metals in the soils. Thus, there are potential health hazards related to consuming crops from such soils. Bioremediation techniques can be used to recover heavy metals from such soils. Furthermore, the mobilization of nutrient ions and immobilization of heavy metals by induced liming could be important in sustainable agricultural production and soil environmental protection of the soils studied.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8861102 |
| spellingShingle | Mofor Nelson Alakeh Njoyim Estella Buleng Tamungang Mbene Kenneth Yuhinwenkeh Njumbo Blaise Nchofua Festus Biosengazeh Trace Element Status and Environmental Implications of Soils and Zea mays from Farmed Dumpsites in the Bamenda Metropolis, North-West Cameroon Applied and Environmental Soil Science |
| title | Trace Element Status and Environmental Implications of Soils and Zea mays from Farmed Dumpsites in the Bamenda Metropolis, North-West Cameroon |
| title_full | Trace Element Status and Environmental Implications of Soils and Zea mays from Farmed Dumpsites in the Bamenda Metropolis, North-West Cameroon |
| title_fullStr | Trace Element Status and Environmental Implications of Soils and Zea mays from Farmed Dumpsites in the Bamenda Metropolis, North-West Cameroon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Trace Element Status and Environmental Implications of Soils and Zea mays from Farmed Dumpsites in the Bamenda Metropolis, North-West Cameroon |
| title_short | Trace Element Status and Environmental Implications of Soils and Zea mays from Farmed Dumpsites in the Bamenda Metropolis, North-West Cameroon |
| title_sort | trace element status and environmental implications of soils and zea mays from farmed dumpsites in the bamenda metropolis north west cameroon |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8861102 |
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