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Soil and plant composition in the Noun river catchment basin, Western Cameroon: a contribution to the development of a biogeochemical baseline

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

Soils and selected edible plants of the Noun river catchment basin of western Cameroon were sampled to investigate the distribution of trace elements, based on the preliminary idea of unusual anomalies. Analytical techniques for trace elements included ICP-AES, GF-AAS, and ICP-MS. Further soil analyses comprised the mineralogy and contents of the biogenic elements carbon, nitrogen and sulphur (CNS). The trace element concentrations in the soils reflect those of the lithogeochemical background of the pluto-volcanic rocks of the region. This is consistent with the results from the mineralogical analyses and physicochemical parameters such as pH, taken in the field, which also do not suggest any geochemical anomaly. Most trace elements analyzed in the plants showed concentrations that reflect those of the soils (Al, Fe, Ti, and Rb). However, some trace elements were enriched in the plants as compared to the soils, such as Zn, Cu, Cd, Mo (excluding yam), Ni (peanut), Ba (peanut), Sr (peanut, bean), and B. Trace elements such as As, Cr, V, and Se were not bioavailable for all the analyzed plants. Besides, trace elements such as Cu, Zn, Mo, Fe, Al, Ni, B, Ti, Rb, Cs, and Ba were in the range of phytotoxicity and reached or exceeded human food tolerance level (Cu). The plants with seeds showed a higher absorption of trace elements compared to plants with tubercles.

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Acknowledgments

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is acknowledged by the first author for its financial support to cover living expenses during a 3-year study and research period (sandwich scheme) at the Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg and for funding the sample collection campaign in Cameroon.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Interdisciplinary Environmental Research Center, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, 09599, Freiberg, Germany

    Clémentine Njofang, Jörg Matschullat & Hermann Heilmeier

  2. Faculty of Science, Université de Yaoundé 1, P.O. Box 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon

    Clémentine Njofang, Akoa Amougou & Jean Pierre Tchouankoué

Authors
  1. Clémentine Njofang
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  2. Jörg Matschullat
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  3. Akoa Amougou
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  4. Jean Pierre Tchouankoué
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  5. Hermann Heilmeier
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Correspondence to Clémentine Njofang.

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Njofang, C., Matschullat, J., Amougou, A. et al. Soil and plant composition in the Noun river catchment basin, Western Cameroon: a contribution to the development of a biogeochemical baseline. Environ Geol 56, 1427–1436 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-008-1237-9

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