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Potential toxic elements accumulation in soils and parts of palm (Elaeis guineensis) growing on reclaimed tailings and mined spoils in southwestern Ghana

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Abstract

This study examined the accumulation of potentially toxic elements (PTE) in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) biomass, fruits, and soils. About 40 soil samples to a depth of 40 cm and 90 palm biomass samples from roots, leaves/stems, and fruits were collected from reclaimed tailings dam and control sites at two mining areas in southwestern Ghana. PTE concentrations and pollution indices were analyzed via various inferential statistics. The PTE (As, Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu) concentrations in the palm roots were significantly higher (p < 0.001) than in the soil at Ghana Manganese Company (GMC) Ltd, Nsuta except for As which was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) in the fruits than the soil. Soil PTE concentration was however significantly higher (p < 0.0001) than that of the roots, leaves, and fruits at the Bogoso tailings dam. The contamination factors, enrichment factors, geoaccumulation indices, and pollution load index (PLI) of soils at the tailings dam and reclaimed sites were significantly higher than the control sites. The PLI of the reclaimed tailings and control sites at Bogoso were 17.98 ± 0.56 and 6.06 ± 0.58, respectively, implying the soils at Bogoso are severely polluted with As, Fe, Zn, and Mn while those of the GMC are unpolluted. Bioaccumulation factors were significantly higher in roots than in the leaves and fruits (p < 0.0001) and were greater than 2 at GMC. The translocation of Cu and As to the fruits was significantly high on both study locations with TF of As = 9 at GMC. PTE accumulation in the palm biomass reduced soil PTE concentrations, but the soils on these mined spoils were severely polluted. These high As contents, in the fruits, may contaminate the food chain and increase PTE-related health risks among human populations. Therefore, phytoremediation of mine spoils with oil palm should be done with caution. Experimental studies to examine soil amendment effects on PTE accumulation capacity or removal efficacy by the palm plants at various ages are recommended.

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Data can be made available upon request. Data may be requested from via the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

Many thanks to all the individuals and institutions that assisted with the data collection and processing for this study. Special appreciations to the Ghana Manganese Company Ltd and the Bogoso Future Global Resources for permitting us to collect the data from their premises. Special thanks to Yaa Boampong Kwakyewaa and Shuaib Mohammed Alhassan, formerly of the Department of Forest Resources Technology, KNUST for assisting with the data collection.

Funding

Laboratory analysis for this study was financially supported by Ghana Manganese Company and Bogoso Golden Star Resources Limited.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. DFRT, FRNR, PMB, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

    Bertrand F. Nero

  2. CSIR, Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, P.O. Box UP 63, Fumesua, Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana

    Reginald T. Guuroh

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  1. Bertrand F. Nero
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BFN conceived the idea, designed the study, and collected the data; BFN and RTG analyzed the data and wrote and revised the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Bertrand F. Nero.

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Nero, B.F., Guuroh, R.T. Potential toxic elements accumulation in soils and parts of palm (Elaeis guineensis) growing on reclaimed tailings and mined spoils in southwestern Ghana. Environ Monit Assess 195, 1396 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-12015-w

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