ABSTRACT
The study examined contamination assessment of soil potentially toxic elements in charcoal production sites (SS Edo State). The objectives of the research were to detrermine the concentration, status, variation and degree of potentially toxic elements in soils of charcoal production sites. Twelve soil samples were collected and Cr, Pb, Mn, Hg, Ni, V, Zn were analyzed using standard operating procedures and data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics, inferential statistics (ANOVA) and contamination indices. Data obtained for the soil PTEs were also compared with the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and FAO/WHO permissible limits. Results showed that Cr, Pb, Mn, Hg, Ni, V, Zn were within permissible limit. The status of Cd was high. FAO/WHO permissible limits showed that As status was low. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo) values showed that As, Cr, Pb, Mn, Hg, Ni, V and Zn in the charcoal production sites were unpolluted. (class 1; 0 igeo). Cadmium was unpolluted in study site A and B (Class 1; 0 igeo) and moderately polluted in study site C and D (Class III; 1-2 Igeo). Contamination factor revealed that As, Cr, Pb, Mn, Hg, Ni, V and Zn fell in the class of low contamination (Cf <1), while cadmium was moderately contaminated in study site A and B (1 > CF >3) while study site C and D indicates considerable contamination ( 3 > CF > 6). The study recommends that to reduce the high status of Cd in the charcoal production sites, phytoremediation should be employed.
