Heavy metal dynamics in selected dumpsite soils and lettuce in Kumasi and Mampong in the Ashanti Region, Ghana

Abstract

An arable land with wastes attracts backyard farming. Metals level in farmlands in and around dumpsite are health threat to the consuming public. Cu and Pb metals were assessed in soils in pots under field conditions with soils sampled from selected dumpsites and background sites in Kumasi and Mampong, in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Sample were assessed using a Niton XL3t GOLD field portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. Soil physicochemical properties in dumpsites soil were in improved levels than in backgrounds soil in pots. This study generally found Cu and Pb higher in dumpsites soil than in background soils. Pollution indices (Igeo and TR) indicated very high contamination for Cu in the dumpsites studied in the increasing order of contamination as Ayeduasu is greater Kyafasu but less than Suame (KYE < AYE < SUA).