Assessment of Physico-Chemical Properties and Heavy Metal Contamination in Soil Samples from Benue South,North Central Nigeria

Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, and harm to the ecosystem i.e. physical system or living organisms pollution refers to the occurrence of an unwanted change in the environment caused by the introduction of harmful substance or production of harmful conditions In this study, different soil samples were collected from different sampling points and dried, then digested with acid using standard methods. The concentration of Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, ,Cd and Pb were determined using Atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The result of the analysis indicates that Fe has the highest concentration among the all metals found in all the locations. Iron has the highest concentration among all the metals studied and its levels ranged from 95.20 to 104.2 (mg kg -1 ) with mean value of 94. 90 ± 17.19.Iron is vital for almost all living organisms,participating in a wide variety of metabolic processes,including oxygen transport,DNA synthesis,and electron transport.High concentration of Fe (104.2mg kg -1 ) in soil samples was observed in Otukpo –ijo while ugboju shows the lowest value. While the concentration of Pb was found to be low in this study. Physicochemical properties were also determined showing that the soil PH was moderately acidic and presence of some organic matters and the soil was moderately saline. Furthermore, agricultural practices affect the environment on, near and beyond the farm; and it is important to examine some of the different impacts that agriculture may have on the environment such as change of land use and chemical pollution. .