Assessment of the impacts of municipal solid waste dumps on soils and plants

ABSTRACT

The study aimed at evaluating the impacts of open municipal solid wastes dumps on soil and vegetation near the main roads linking major cities in Nigeria. We hypothesised that the metals from the wastes exerted substantial impacts at the dump sites which affect the soil and plants. Data were analysed from five dump sites and five control sites. The result revealed that the effects of the heavy metals (HM) were significant and higher at the dump sites where their concentrations were far above the EU, and Canadian environmental quality permissible limits for agricultural soils and vegetation. In contrast with dump sites, a significant relationship (R² = 0.70; p < .001) was found between the number of plant species and area at control sites. Shrubs and herbs were more tolerance with higher contents of HM compared with grasses. Plants leaves showed more HM contents compared to the shoots or roots. The soil and plants contents of the HM were relatively in the order of Zn > Cr > Pb at both dump sites and control sites. Further study on the effects of more HM on soil and plant is recommended in the area. Recycling and bio-phytoremediation processes should also be introduced.

KEYWORDS:

• Plants
• soil contamination
• potential toxic elements
• open waste dumps
• species richness
• heavy metals

Acknowledgements

We give thanks to the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) officers who helped in the provision of preliminary information on dump sites. The effort of the National Road Transport Workers (NURTW) of Nigeria is appreciated. The intellectual support of the journal’s peer blind reviewers whose remarks made this paper a success is also acknowledged. We also acknowledge The Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague for their support to travel to Nigeria and conduct the research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Chukwudi Nwaogu is a PhD student at the Department of Ecology, Czech University of Life Sciences (CULS), Prague, Czech Republic. He obtained an MSc (Applied/Engineering Ecology) in 2014 from CULS. In 2003 he had obtained a master’s in GIS from the University of Lagos, Nigeria and a BSc (Geography) in 2000 from the University of Uyo, Nigeria. His specialisation was in agroecosystems, soil and plant ecology, and GIS.

Henry D. Ogbuagu is Associate Professor of Environmental Ecology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria. He has authored and coauthored several papers published in local and international journals. His specialisation was in environmental sciences, and soil and plant nutrients and toxicity.

Selegha Abrakasa is Associate Professor at the Department of Geology, University of Port-Harcourt, Nigeria. The author has authored and coauthored several papers published in local and international journals. The author specialised in lithological and hydrological characterisations.

Modupeola A. Olawoyin (corresponding author) is a researcher in Environmental and Educational management, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. She is a Nigerian, married with two children.

Vilem Pavlu is a professor of agroecosystems, soil, plant and animal ecology (CULS). He is also the head of the Department of Weeds and Vegetation of Agroecosystems, Grassland Research Station Liberec, Crop Research Institute, Czech Republic. He is author and coauthor of many papers published in journals with ‘IF’.