Abstract: Background and Objective: Soil pollution is a worldwide phenomenon which results from both natural and anthropogenic activities. This has resulted in several health and physiological problems in both plants and animals. This study investigated the effect of abattoir on heavy metals content of the soils within the immediate vicinity. Methodology: Soils from three abattoirs (Agip, Iwofe and Mile III) in Port Harcourt were analyzed for heavy metals using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The data obtained were further subjected to index models (contamination factor, pollution index, geo-accumulation and enrichment factor) analysis. Results: The data obtained showed iron (Fe) to be most concentrated in the soils and ranged from 59.36±5.21 to 81.70±7.10 mg kg–1, this was followed by the value recorded for zinc (Zn) which was between 8.17±1.96 to 14.33±2.43 mg kg–1 and was followed by the value observed for copper (Cu) being in the range of 4.70±1.27 to 9.57±2.86 mg kg–1. The least observed metal in all the sample stations was cadmium (Cd) which ranged from 0.0011±0.00 to 0.0067±0.00 mg kg–1. When the concentration of the heavy metals were subjected to different index models, contamination factor (Cf) revealed slight contamination of the different soils from different stations by Cu. There was also slight contamination of the soil by Zn and nickel (Ni) at the Mile III sample station. At the Mile III station, the soil was slightly polluted with arsenic (As). Conclusion: However, the general view of Pollution Index (PI) showed that the soils are uncontaminated with the heavy metals. Geo-accumulation index and enrichment factor showed that the soils were free form pollution. The observed concentrations of the heavy metals showed that the soils are not polluted by heavy metals. Also, the model indices showed that the sources of the heavy metals were from anthropogenic sources and are slightly different from the background values.
Edori Onisogen Simeon and Kpee Friday, 2017. Index Models Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in Soils within Selected Abattoirs in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Singapore Journal of Scientific Research, 7: 9-15.
Subscribe Today 
