Some heavy metals content of seeds of beans intercropped with yams cultivated under usage of agrochemicals
Paper Details
Some heavy metals content of seeds of beans intercropped with yams cultivated under usage of agrochemicals
Abstract
The increasing usage of agrochemicals in crop cultivations has resulted in the accumulation of excess nutrient elements in the rooting and deeper soil zones. This study employed standard laboratory procedures to determine the levels of some heavy metals in seeds of beans (Phaseous vulgaris) intercropped with yams (Dioscorea rotundata) cultivated under uncontrolled applications of chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides in Otukpo, Ohimini and Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas of Benue State, Nigeria. The study was carried out between August and December, 2009. Levels of the heavy metals were determined using SP Pye Unicam (1900) Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer equipped with air-acetylene burner. Results of the heavy metals concentrations of the beans seeds obtained from farmers’ fields varied between 0.023±0.001µg/g Co to 1.230±0.160µg/g Fe while records of 0.012±0.002µg/g Co to 0.788±0.230µg/g Fe were obtained in the seeds obtained from control farms. Soil samples from the farmers’ fields recorded heavy metals contents of 0.052±0.005µg/g Ni to 3.820±0.220µg/g Pb and 0.068±0.004µg/g Co to 4.310±0.120µg/g Pb within 0-20cm and 20-40cm soil depth respectively. Analyses of the variations of the levels of the heavy metals differed significantly (P < 0.05) between sample farms and locations. The mean transfer factors of the heavy metals showed high absorption of zinc, nickel, chromium and cadmium. However, the beans contents of the metals were below the dietary toxicity limits recommended by WHO. The elevated levels of the heavy metals in beans and soil samples obtained from the farmers’ fields may be due to anthropogenically induced source. Therefore, there is the need for increasing farmers awareness and training aimed at sustainable agriculture and proper agrochemical usage.
Abah J, Ishaq MN, Wada AC. 2010. The Role of Biotechnology in Ensuring Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture. Afr. J. Biotechnol 9(52), 8896-8900.
Abah J, Ogugbuaja VO, Geidam MA. 2009. Effect of chemical fertilizers on the levels of some Anions in some cereals grown in Benue State, Nigeria. Proceedings of the 43rd Annual conference of the agricultural society of Nigeria, Abuja 2009. 879-883.
AOAC. 1984. Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Analytical Chemist. 14th Ed. AOAC. Inc. Arlington, Virginia, USA. p 53-55.
Balk F, Koeman JH. 1984. Future Hazards from Pesticides Use. The Environmentalist 4, IUCN Commission on Ecology Paper 6.
Edmeades DC. 2003. The long-term effects of manures and fertilizers on soil productivity and quality: a review. Nutr. Cycl. Agroecosyst(66), 165-180.
Gupta RCJ. 1994. Carbofuran toxicity. Toxicol. Environ. Health ( 43), 383-418.
Gee GW, Bauder JW. 1986. Particle size analysis. In: Klute, A (Ed). Methodsof soil analysis “Tropical and mineralogical methods. Agronomy. Am. Soc. of Agron., Madison, Part 1.Wisconsin. p. 383-411.
Hoskin BR. 1997. Soil Testing Handbook for Professionals in Agriculture, Horticulture, Nutrient and Residuals Management, 3rd Ed, Maine Forestry & Agricultural Experiment Station University of Maine. p 14-15.
IITA. 1979. Selected Methods for Soil and Plant Analysis of the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture. IITA, Ibadan.
Isham J. 2002. The Effect of Social Capital on Fertilizer Adoption: Evidence from Rural Tanzania” J. Afr. Econ( 11), 39-60.
Mati BM. 2005. Overview of Water and Soil Nutrient Management Under Smallholder Rainfed Agriculture in East Africa. Working Paper 105. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
NAAS. 2005. Policy Options for Efficient Nitrogen Use. Policy Paper No. 33. National Academy of Agricultural Science, New Delhi. p 1-4.
Nelson DW, Sommers LS. 1982. Total Carbon, Organic Carbon, and Organic Matter. In: Page A. L. et al (eds). Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 2 Agron. Monogr. 9 (2nd edition) p. 539-579.
Nonga HE, Mdegela RH, Lie E, Sandvik M, Skaare JU. 2011. Assessment of Farming Practices and Uses of Agrochemicals in Lake Manyara basin, Tanzania. Afr. J. Agric. Res. 6(10), p. 2216-2230.
Pimentel D, Greiner A. 1997. Environmental and socioeconomic costs of pesticide use. In: Pimentel, D. (Ed.), Techniques for Reducing Pesticide Use: Economic and Environmental Benefits. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, p. 51-78.
Radojevic M, Bashkin NV. 1999. Practical Environmental Analysis. Royal Society of Chemistry and Thoma Graham House, Cambridge, U.K. pp 356-377, 400-408.
Rayment GE, Higginson FR. 1992. Australian Laboratory Handbook of Soil and Water Chemical Methods. Inkarta Press. Melbourne. p 25-30.
Salami A, Kamara AB, Brixiova Z. 2010. Smallholder Agriculture in East Africa: Trends, Constraints and Opportunities, Working Papers Series No 105, African Development Bank, Tunis, Tunisia.
USDA. 2004. Natural Resources Conservation Service: Soil Survey Laboratory Methods manual. Soil Survey Investigation Report No. 42 version 4.0. Natural Resources Conservation Service. p 700.
USEPA. 1996. Acid Digestion of Sediment, Sludge and Soils. Method 305B. USEPA, Washington. p 5-15.
Uwah EI, Akan JC, Moses EA, Abah J, Ogugbuaja VO. 2007. Some Anions Levels in Fresh Vegetables in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. Medwell online Agric. J. 2(3), 392-396.
WHO/FAO. 1985. WHO/FAO Food Additives Data Systems. Evaluation by the Joint committee on Food Additives, 1956-1984. FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 30/Rev. Rome.
J. Abah, F. I. Abdulrahaman, N. P. Ndahi, V. O. Ogugbuaja, 2013. Some heavy metals content of seeds of beans intercropped with yams cultivated under usage of agrochemicals. J. Biodiv. Environ. Sci., 3(1), 16-22.
Copyright © 2013 by the Authors. This article is an open access article and distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) license.