Bioaccumulations of Heavy Metals on Soil and Arable Crops Grown in Abandoned Peacock Paint Industry in Ikot Ekan , Etinan Local Government Area , Akwa Ibom State , Nigeria

A study of heavy metals concentrations on soil and some economic crops grown within abandoned Peacock Paints Industry environment in Ikot Ekan, Etinan Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria was carried out. Heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Pb, Cd, Cr and Ni,) were analysed using Unicam Solar 969 Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (A.A.S). Levels of these heavy metals in some economic crops and soil obtained from the abandoned Peacock Paint Industry environment were significantly higher (p<0.05) than those from the control site, indicating that the activities of paint production and other manufacturing processes which took place when the industry was operational, contributed to the observed higher levels of heavy metals concentrations in the industrial environment. Comparison of heavy metals in crops and soils obtained from abandoned Peacock Paint Industry environment showed that heavy metals in crops were higher than those recorded in the soil obtained from abandoned Peacock Paint vicinity. The higher levels of heavy metals in crops could be attributed to the bioaccumulations and biomagnifications of these metals in crops tissues. The average concentrations of Fe, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cu, Ni, Cd and Cr in pumpkin leaves (Telfaiferia occientalis) were (256.13±3.34, 87.49±2.38, 5.29±2.28, 25.13±2.11, 23.13±1.22, 7.17±1.32, 17.01±0.08 and 24.02±0.12) respectively. In okro leaves (Abelmoschus esculentus), the concentration of Fe, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cu, Ni, Cd and Cr were (217.28±3.41, 43.18±2.76, 7.46±1.41, 12.89±2.87, 18.31±2.74, 10.13±2.40, 23.10±1.13 and 21.13±1.02) respectively; and in cassava leaves (Manihot esculentus) the concentrations of Fe, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cu, Ni, Cd and Cr were (205.30±2.58, 57.19±8.40, 13.13±2.52, 16.34±2.87, 24.13±2.08, 3.52±2.10, 20.02±2.09 and 25.12±1.07) respectively. The concentrations of heavy metals in soil samples obtained within abandoned Peacock paint industry environment were significantly higher than those obtained from control sites. The levels of heavy metals in both soil and crops samples collected from abandoned Peacock Paint industry environment were significantly high to cause environmental concern as their concentrations exceeded the tolerable limits. However, there is need for suspension of all agricultural activities in the abandoned Peacock Paint industry to prevent the introduction of further heavy metals into the existing food chain. Also, there is need for government to regulate and control agricultural activities in all abandoned industries, and bioremediation of all the abandoned industries to avoid transmission of heavy metals to man through food chain.