Dynamics of Heavy Metal Runoff from Farmland around Ikpa River Basin, Nigeria

Discharges of zinc, arsenic, cadmium and lead from farmland were examined based on field measurements conducted between May 18 and October 14, 2012. The study fields are located on 15 % slope gradient area where water body in the river was contaminated with water drained from upstream farmlands. The area of the farmland is 10.7 ha, of which 0.5 ha had been used for cassava cultivation under vetiver hedge management. Heavy metal loads accompanying the runoff water were considered to become higher with the increase in rainfall in control plots.