Study on the Impact of Municipal Solid Wastes on Physico-Chemical Properties of Dumpsite Soils in Benin City, Nigeria

Authors: Otabor KE, Oviawe AP, Ilori EG

DOI Info: N/A

ABSTRACT

The present study was carried out to examine some physicochemical properties of soils around selected municipal solid waste dumpsites in Benin City, Nigeria. Composite soil samples were collected around three (3) major municipal solid waste dumpsites in Benin City using a stainless steel spade at depths of 0-45cm. Samples were taken for laboratory analyses for physicochemical properties such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), particle size distribution, total organic carbon (TOC), soil organic matter (SOM), nitrogenous content, available phosphorous (P), basic cations, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and some anions. Results showed that there were significant variations (p?0.05) between the waste dumpsites soils and control soils as revealed by the least significant difference (LSD) t-test for mean separation in terms of pH, basic cations, CEC, EC, available phosphorous and the anions. The pH of the soil samples around the studied dumpsites varied between 6.04± 0.01 and 8.17±0.06 while the mean pH of soil samples from the adjoining area (control) was 4.78±0.06. The high pH of the soil samples around the studied dumpsites was also reflected in the high CEC (varied from 4.24±0.67 to 16.96± 0.83 meq/100g) in most of the analysed soil samples while the low acidic pH of the control soil samples was also reflected in the low CEC (mean levels of 1.70±0.24 meq/100g) because of the strong positive relations that exist between pH, basic cations and CEC. EC ranged from 668±3.53 to 944±4.51?S, TOC ranged from 0.03±0.00 to 1.52±0.05%, SOM ranged from 0.05±0.00 to 2.62±0.08% while P component varied from 1.93±0.80 to 25.64±0.41% in the studied dumpsites soils.

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