Abstract
Due to rapid urbanization, industrialization and intensive agriculture in Ghana, upsurge in heavy metals in soils have become a major concern. An environmental geochemical investigation was carried out in selected districts of upper east to determine the effects of contamination in the study area. Soil samples collected in the study area were analyzed for Cu, Cr, Pb, V, Zr, Cd, Zn and Sr contents using Philips PW 2440 X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. Samples were collected from top 30- to 40-cm layer of the soil. Levels of the metals in soils in the study area were found to be significantly higher than their normal distribution in the soil such as Cu—53 ppm, Cr—999 ppm, Pb—111 ppm, V—126 ppm, Zr—1134 ppm and Zn—1296 ppm and Sr—953 ppm. Higher concentration of these toxic elements is responsible for the development of toxicity in agricultural products, and these elements can be leached into groundwater or surface water which in turn affects human life.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agbozu IE (2007) Survey of heavy metals in the catfish Synodontis clarias. Int J Environ Sci Technol 4(1):93–98
Acero P, Mandado J (2003) Environmental impact of heavy metal dispersion in the Huerva River (Iberian range, NE Spain). Environ Geol 43:950–956
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (2004) Toxicological profile of strontium. US Department of Health and Human Service, Public Health Service, Atlanta
Aswathanarayana U (1995) Geoenvironment: an introduction. Bakemia, Rotterdam, p 270
Blanjan L (1991) Dessertification and animal health in the Sahel. Rev Sci Tech 10(3):595–608
Blench R (2006) Working paper: background conditions i Upper East Region, Northern Ghana. Retrieved from http://www.rogerblench.info/…/Ghana/. Assessed Oct 2011
Bohn HL, McNeal BL, O’Connor GA (1985) Soil chemistry. Wiley, New York
Breuning-Madsen HA (2005) Harmattan dust deposition and porticle size in Ghana. CATENA 63:23–38
Collin ML (2003) Assessing groundwater vulnerability and pollution to promote sustainable urban and rural development. J Clean Prod 11(7):727–736
EPA (2002) National action programme to combat drought and desertification Ghana environmental protection agency report, pp 160. Retrieved from http://www.unced.int/actionprogrammes/africa/national/2002/ghana-eng.pdf
Foli GN (2012) Geochemical characteristics of soils from selected districts in the Upper East Region, Ghana: implications for trace element pollution and enrichment. Res J Environ Earth Sci 4(4):186–195
Hirdes WD (1992) Reassessment of proterozoic granitoids ages in Ghana on the basis of U/Pb zircon and monazite dating. Precambrian Res 56:89–96
Huisaman DJ, Veldkamp A, Kroonenberg SB, Klaver GT (1997) A geological interpretation of heavy metal concdntrations in soils and sediments in the Southern Netherlands. J Geochem Explor 59:163–174
Kesse GO (1985) The mineral and rock resources of Ghana. Balkama Publishers, Country, p 610
Krishna AK, Govil PK (2004) Heavy metal contamination of soil around Pali Industrial area, Rajastan, India. Environ Geol. doi:10.1007/S00254-004-1124-y
Leube AW (1990) The earthly Proterozoic Birimian Supergroup of Ghana and some aspects of the associated gold mineraliztion. Precambrian Res 46:139–165
Li YX, Chen TB (2005) Concentrations of additive argenic in Beijing pig feeds and residues in pig manure. Resour Conserv Recycl 45:356–367
Marques JJ (2003) Trace element geochemistry in Brazilian cerrado soils. Geoderma 121(1–2):31–43. doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2003.10.003
Martin CW (1997) Heavy metal concentration in flood plain surface soils, Laher River, Germany. Environ Geol 30(1–2):119–125
Matini LJ (2011) Clay mineralogy and vertical distribution of lead, zinc and copper in a soil profile in the vicinity of an abandoned treatment plant. Res J Environ Earth Sci 3(2):114–123 (ISSN: 2041-0492)
McBride MB (1995) Toxic metal accumulation from agricultural use of sludge: are USEPA regulations protective? J Environ Qual 24:5–18
McLaren RG (2003) Micronutrientsand toxic elements. In: Benbi DK, Nieder R (eds) Handbook of processes and modelling in the soil-plant system. Haeorth Press, New York
Mclaughlin MJ, Hamon RE, McLaren RG, Speir TW, RogersSL (2000) Review: a bioavailability-based rationale for controllingmetal and metalloid contamination of agricultural land in Aus-tralia and New Zealand. Aust J Soil Res 38(6):1037–1086
Navas A, Machin J (2002) Spatial distribution of heavy metals and arsenic in soil of Aragon (northeast Spain). Controlling factors and environmental implications. Appl Geochem 17:961–973
Nriagu JO (1988) Quantitative assessment of worldwide contamination of air, water and soil by trace metals. Nature 333:134–139
Obeng H (2000) Soil classification in Ghana; Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA, 2000) Ghana. Selected Economic Issues No.3:33. Retrieved from http://www.opa.org.gh/publications/publications/Issues%20Paper%20Series%20385.pdf
Oniawa PC (2001) Roadside topsoil concentration of lead and other heavy metals in Ibdan, Nigeria. Soil Sediment Contam 10:577–591
Quan SZ (1996) Distribution and plant availability of heavy metals in different particle-size fractions of soils. Sci Total Environ 187(2):131–144
Ramakrishnaiah H, Somashekar RK (2002) Heavy metal contamination in roadside soil and their mobility in relation to pH and organic carbon. Soil Sediment Contam 11:643–654
Saether OM, Krog R, Segar D, Storroe G (1997) Contamination of soil and groundwater at former industrial site in Trondheim, Norway. Appl Geochem 12:327–332
Schulthess CP (1990) Adsorption of heavy metals by silicon and aluminium oxide surfaces on clay minerals. Soil Sci Soc Am J 54:679–688
Taylor PN, Moorbath S, Leube A, Hirdes W (1992) Early Proterozoic crustal evolution in the Birimian of Ghana, constraints from geochronology and isotope geology. Precumbrian Res 56:97–111
USEPA (1983) Ofiice of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Harzardous Waste Land Treatment, Metals concentrations in natural soils. SW-874 (April 1983), p 273
Usman AR (2004) Effect of clay minerals on extractability of heavy metals and sewage sludge mineralization in soil. Chem Ecol 20(20):1–3
Wang CS (2004) Heavy metal contamination of agricultural soils and stream sediments near a copper mine in Tongling, People’s Republic of China. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 73:862–869
Wenzel WW (1999) Accumulation of heavy metals in plants grown on mineralized soils of the Austrian Alps. Environ Pollut 104(1):145–155
Acknowledgements
The author acknowledges Food Research Institute of the Council for Scientific Industrial Research (CSIR), Ghana, for sponsoring this research. Thanks also go to Mr Duodu Josiah Egyin Hazel, a national service person formerly of Food Chemistry Laboratory, for the initial graph plots.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Essel, K.K. Heavy metals geochemistry in selected districts of upper east region soils, Ghana. Environ Earth Sci 76, 358 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-017-6661-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-017-6661-2