ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Investigating the Concentrations of Different
Elements in Soil and Plant Composition
from a Mining Area
Joshua O. Olowoyo1, Anthony I. Odiwe2, Nquobile M. Mkolo1, Linda Macheka1
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1Department of Biology, University of Limpopo, P.O.Box 139, Medunsa, Pretoria, South Africa
2Department of Botany, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2013;22(4):1135-1141
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Contamination of soils around mines by heavy metals has not yet received the serious attention that it
deserves in South Africa. The current study evaluated the concentrations and levels of pollution by trace metals
in soils around a Ferro-chromium mine in South Africa. Soil samples were collected from 20 locations in
four different directions, namely southwest, southeast, northwest, and northeast of the mine. The soils were analyzed
for trace metals concentrations using ICP-MS. The result revealed that soil pH was in the acidic medium
with a very low level of soil organic matter. The concentrations of elements from the soil followed the order Al
> Fe > Ca > Mg > Cr > Na > Mn > Ni > Zn > V > Cu > Pb > As > Cd. Higher concentrations for all the elements
were recorded from the topsoil and also from the southwestern direction, and the differences in the concentrations
were significant (p> 0.05). A highly significant positive correlation of Fe and Cr with Ni and with
each other (0.42 ≤ r ≥ 0.82) were recorded. The Pi (pollution index) and I-geo (geoaccumulation index) indicated
that the soils around the mine were severely contaminated with Cr and Ni. The concentrations of Fe, Cr,
and Ni from the soil samples were high enough to cause serious health problems for people living in the area.