ASSESSMENT OF HEAVY METAL CONTENTS CONTAMINATION FROM THE DUMP SITES IN SOILS FROM OKENE, KOGI STATE, NORTH-CENTRAL, NIGERIA.

This study evaluates the heavy metals contents of soils in nine dump sites respectively. A total of twenty-seven samples were collected from the sampling locations and analyzed. Analysis revealed the mean concentration of heavy metals were in sequential order of Cr > Zn > Mn > Cu > Cd. The values of mean concentrations of the heavy metals in all the locations were as follows (Cr 1108.20±2.03), (Zn 510.19±5.86), (Mn 377.25±4.22), (Cu 145.75±4.18) and (Cd 7.88±3.65) exceeded the permissible limits from FAO/WHO. All the locations were heavily contaminated by the anthropogenic activities since geo-accumulation index, contamination factor and degree of contamination values indicated that the selected areas were polluted with the heavy metals detected. The result of this research showed that the sampling locations were heavily contaminated with the heavy metals determined. The environment should be continuously monitored by the relevant Government Agencies to ascertain the level of contamination within a particular period.