Some Trace Elements in the Fadama Soils and Spinach (Amarantus sp.) along River Jakara near the abattoir in Kano, Nigeria

Abstract

 The concentrations of lead, copper, iron and cadmium in the soils and spinach (Amarantus sp.) along the
 microtopographical features of the River Jakara (Levee, levee backslope, cover plain and backswamp)
 near the abattoir in Kano, were determined in some dry and wet season months of 2003 by Atomic
 Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS).  The spinach were irrigated with waste water from the river,
 especially during the dry season.  The soil samples were taken at two depths, 0–15.0cm and 15.0 
30.0cm at the four microtopographical zones while the spinach were from two slopes, the levee and
 backswamp. Results showed positive correlation between Pb and Cu in each of the slopes and in all
 slopes in the two depths with r-values of 0.50, 0.10, 0.93, 0.79 and 0.67 for the levee, levee backslope,
 coverplain, backswamp and combined slopes respectively between 0 – 15.0cm depth. Between 15.0 
30.0cm depth, the r-values for the slopes were 0.76, 0.93, 0.98, 0.86 and 0.80.  There was also a positive
 correlation between Fe and Cd in each of the slopes and in all slopes (except the backswamp with
 negative correlation) with r-values of 0.97, 0.83, 0.52, -0.82 and 0.69 for the levee, levee backslope,
 coverplain, backswamp and combined slopes respectively between 0 – 15.0 depth.  Between 15.0 
30.0cm depth, the r-values for the slopes were 0.17, 0.66, 0.63, -0.95 and 0.32.  Concentrations of Pb and
 Cu increased at the same time and so were the concentrations of Fe and Cd.  The accumulations of these
 trace elements in the two depths of the soils were in the magnitude of Fe > Pb > Cu> Cd while it was
 Pb> Fe> Cu> Cd in the spinach. The concentrations of the metals in the soils and vegetables in the two
 depths  of most of the slopes exceeded the international maximum permissible limits