GEOGENIC AND ANTHROPOGENIC SOURCES OF HEAVY METALS CONTAMINATION OF SOILS FROM SELECTED DUMPSITES IN JOS, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA.

Heavy metal contamination in Yantrailer, Tina, and Maternity dumpsites soils within Jos was investigated. Twelve samples were collected at two different sampling points at depths of 40 cm and 80cm in each sampling point. The samples were air-dried and subjected to X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis to determine their elemental composition. XRF analysis detected the presence of Molybdenum (Mo), Zirconium (Zr), Strontium (Sr), Rubidium (Rb), Uranium (U), Thorium (Th), Lead (Pb), Arsenic (As), Zinc (Zn), Tungsten (W) and Copper (Cu). The higher value of Zr (394.396-499.054 mg/kg) at 80 cm depth than the Zr value (406.581-444.142 mg/kg) at 40 cm from Yantrailer suggests a geogenic contamination source. Higher values of Zr (915.985-935.203mg/kg) at 80 cm depth than its value (663.403-746.535 mg/kg) at 40 cm depth from Tina dumpsite indicates a geogenic contamination source. The higher value of Zr (594.659-654.508 mg/kg) at 40 cm depth than its value (521.707-565.414 mg/kg) at 80 cm depth from the maternity dumpsite indicates an anthropogenic contamination source. Higher values of Mo, Zr, U, and Th at 80 cm depth than at 40 cm depth from Yantrailer and Tina dumpsites indicate geogenic sources while higher values of Zr, Th, Sr, and Zn at 40 cm depth than at 80 cm depth from maternity dumpsites suggest anthropogenic contamination sources. The higher concentrations of Sr and Zn at 40 cm depth than at 80 cm depth from Yantrailer and Tina dumpsites indicate anthropogenic contamination sources. The soils underlying the dumpsites in the study area have been contaminated with heavy metals from anthropogenic and/or geogenic sources. The anthropogenic sources could be associated with the decomposition of domestic and industrial wastes which have eventually been leached into the underlying soils while geogenic sources of contamination could be associated with weathering and dispersion of heavy metals from underlying mineralization and parent rocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]