Heavy Metal Content of Agricultural Soils in a Tropical Sudan Savannah Area: Katsina State, North-Western Nigeria

Abstract

This work contributes to the monitoring of Agricultural soil pollution in Katsina State North western Nigeria by assessing the degree of heavy metal pollution in Agricultural soil samples The study was conducted in the year 2017 within some catchment areas located within the 3 senatorial zones that constitute to make up the state Katsina senatorial zone Birchi Dutsinma and Katsina Daura senatorial zone Daura Ingawa and Zango Funtua senatorial zone Dabai Funtua Kafur Malunfashi and Matazu Analysis for the concentration of these heavy metals Cr Cd Fe Ni Mn Pb and Zn was conducted by the use of AAS by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry method Several indices were used to assess the metal contamination levels in the Agricultural soil samples namely Geo-accumulation Index Igeo Enrichment Factor EF Contamination Factor CF Degree of Contamination Cd and Pollution Load Index PLI