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Investigating soils retention ratios and modelling geochemical factors affecting heavy metals retention in soils in a tropical urban watershed

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Abstract

This study aimed at investigating the retention of Pb and Cd in soils and the geochemical factors influencing the adsorption of these pollutants. Soil samples were air-dried and ground to pass through a 2-mm sieve, and different soil extracts were prepared for chemical analysis (organic matter, cation exchange capacity and pH). Total Pb and Cd were extracted with diacid using digestion method and determined by atomic adsorption spectrophotometer (AAS) after filtration. Results revealed that the heavy metals retention ratio (RR) of the Rhodic ferralsol, Xanthic ferralsol and Mollic gleysol (2) were very high for Cd (>80 %) and was relatively low (generally < 60 %) for Pb. In contrast, RRs for the Plinthic gleysol and the Mollic gleysol (1) were relatively low (<60 %), regardless of the heavy metal concerned. Multiple regression equations indicated for Pb and Cd concentrations different linear relationships over simple linear regression, when pH, organic matter, clay percentage and cation exchange capacity (CEC) were used as independent variables. Results indicate that organic matter exerts major influences on the retention of Pb and Cd in soils, while CEC, clay content and pH have a minor influence in this process in the Ntem watershed. From these observations, the application of soil organic matter could be a solution in protecting shallow aquifers from heavy metal pollution and thus insuring that they are not a hazard to public health.

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Acknowledgments

The first author received a research grant from the University of Dschang. The authors would like to thank IRAD-Yaoundé and the Laboratory of Soil and Environment of the Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences (FASA) of the University of Dschang for the soil analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Water Resources Management Laboratory, Department of Agricultural Engineering, University of Dschang, PO Box 222, Dschang, Cameroon

    Célestin Defo

  2. Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, University of Dschang, PO Box 222, Dschang, Cameroon

    Célestin Defo & Bernard Palmer Kfuban Yerima

  3. Laboratory of Water and Food Quality, Water Technology Centre, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India

    Célestin Defo

  4. National Advanced School of Engineering, PO Box 8390, Yaoundé, Cameroon

    Nestor Bemmo

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  1. Célestin Defo
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  2. Bernard Palmer Kfuban Yerima
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Correspondence to Célestin Defo.

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Defo, C., Yerima, B.P.K. & Bemmo, N. Investigating soils retention ratios and modelling geochemical factors affecting heavy metals retention in soils in a tropical urban watershed. Environ Dev Sustain 19, 1649–1671 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-016-9819-2

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