The current study was undertaken to evaluate the degree of pollution and bioaccumulation of heavy metals; Cu, Cd, Zn, Ni and Pb from the soils of the Copperbelt Province to the edible parts of cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. Capita l.) and tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill) using the Bioaccumulation Factor (BAF), Contamination Load Index (CLI) and Nemerow Integrated Pollution Index (NIPI). Cu, Cd, Ni, Pb and Zn in soils, cabbage and tomato leaves and fruits from industrial and non-industrial areas in Kitwe, Mufulira and Chingola districts of Copperbelt Province, Zambia were determined after acid digestion by using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Very high metal transference from soil to cabbage and tomatoes observed, it is a concern for public health particularly for urban population which consumes the roots, stems, stalks, leaves or fruits of these vegetables. The result showed that BAF in both species were below 1 except for cabbage which accumulate Cd to the critical limit of BAF=1 in areas close to the mine polluting facility. The CLI was above 1 for the studied metals in soil samples collected near the mine polluting facility while in the control site, only Cd, Ni in cabbage and Cd, Pb in tomato were found above the threshold value of 1. The NIPI indicated an extreme soil contamination by all the studied elements in samples collected around the mining generated wastelands. In the control sites only, Cu and Cd exceeded NIPI ? 3, indicating that even in the control sites, soils and crops are seriously contaminated by Cu and Cd, slightly contaminated by Zn and Pb and at alert level for Ni. This high level of contamination shows that sufficient attention should be given to the soils of the Copperbelt and to the crops grown in those areas. Consuming such crops may pose increased health risks to the local population.
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Author Name: Jean Moussa Kourouma 1, Stephen Syampungani 1, Concillia Monde 2
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Keywords: Contamination, Heavy metals, Bioaccumulation, Pollution
ISSN: 2707-5060
EISSN: 2707-5052
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