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ABSTRACT
Effective waste and environmental management strategies depend on the careful examination of the harmful pollutant in soil environments. This work is aimed at the assessment of some heavy metals and the physicochemical properties of the surface soil of a waste dumpsite in Benin City. In this study, to assess and determine the level of heavy metals and the physicochemical properties of the surface soil of the dumpsite, soil samples taken from an open dumpsite at Oluku, Benin City, Edo state Nigeria, were evaluated for lead (Pb) and Zinc (Zn) levels as well as some physical and chemical characteristics (soil type, pH, particle size, electrical conductivity and organic matter content). Samples of surface soil were randomly taken at four depths (10cm, 20cm, 30cm, and 40cm) at the dump site and control site. Standard analytical techniques were then used to analyze the samples for some physicochemical parameters and lead (Pb) and Zinc (Zn) contamination. According to the findings, the main dumpsite had less silt and clay and more sand (>80.0%) than the control site. The average pH of the soil varied between 6.82 to 7.82 in the dump and 6.64 to 7.21 in the control. Pb levels in the dump ranged from 0.046 to 0.113 mg/g, while in the control, they were between 0.036 and 0.093 mg/g on average. All of these values are significantly above the WHO's maximum allowable limits for agricultural soil.
