The deposition of lead, cadmium, zinc and copper from motor traffic on brachiaria enimi and soil along a major bombo road in Kampala city

The soil and whole plants of Brachiaria enimi were collected beside a major road (Bombo road) and digested with a mixture of concentrated nitric acid, and perchloric acid. The analysis of the soil digests show that lead, cadmium, zinc and copper contents are high close to the road and decrease with distance from the road edge. Also the Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu concentrations in soil fall off rapidly with increasing distance from the road edge, in agreement with previous investigations. The major traffic effect is mainly limited to the surface soil and to a narrow zone within 40 m of the road. Therefore, land use for vegetable production or for livestock foraging should be avoided in a strip of this width.

Key words:

• Motor traffic
• heavy metal
• soil contamination
• Uganda