Effects of Pesticides on the Soil, Water and Air Environment in Awgu Local Government of Enugu State, Nigeria

Abstract

Top soil (0-20cm) samples were collected from six sampling points under different land use type (Cultivated and uncultivated wetland). The total concentrations of Ca, Fe, Cu, K, Mg, Na, Za and C were determined using AAS Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer in order to assess and compare contamination levels of the sampling points. The results showed that the average concentration of these heavy metals were generally higher in cultivated wetland than those in uncultivated wetland. The groundwater has been a major source of water supply throughout the ages, around 50% of the rural as well as urban population in the developing countries like Nigeria, also depends on groundwater for domestic use. The groundwater is also an important source in the agriculture and industrial sector in many parts of the world good water resources has been a major challenge and increasing threat, wasteful use and contaminants on the water bodies. The results showed that pesticides were found at the highest mean concentration in ambient air. (Dicrotophos, P=0.016, Chlorpynfos, P=<0.001, Profenofos, P= <0.001 and Ethion, P=0.002 and the Analysis of Variance (ANOA) was used to determine the homogeneity in mean variation of the soil samples. Dicrotophos, S=18.3964, Chlorpynfos, S=32.1927, Profenofos, S=41.8050, Ethion, S=42.2893 and multiple pesticides were detected in the area which shows the highest in the vegetable areas as 0.2580 ±0.2689mg/m3 for Chlorpynofos during period of March to May and 0.1003 ±0.0449mg/m3 for Chlorpynofos during period of October to December 2018. 1.3757 ±0.5014mg/l for Dicrotophos and 0.3629 ±0.4338mg/l for Ethion, exceeded the standard set by World Health Organization (WHO).