**6.4.2 Results**

42 Macro to Nano Spectroscopy

prepared for analysis by cold extraction. 1g of the dried soil sample was weighed into a labeled 100ml conical flask and 20ml of mixture of conc. HCl and conc. HNO3 (1:1) were added and well shaken. The solution was kept overnight after which it was filtered through a whatman No 1 filter paper formerly leached by pouring cupious quantity of dilute HNO3 on the filter paper while in the funnel. The clear solution obtained was made up to 50ml using a standard flask and transferred into a plastic bottle (Okoye, 2001). The sample solutions were analysed at various wavelengths for each metal using Buck Scientific Atomic

**SAMPLES MEAN CONCENTRATIONS (mg/l) OF PARAMETERS**

Lime 0.06 0.11 0.08 <0.002 <0.004 **Mango** <0.002 0.67 <0.05 0.17 <0.004 **Orange** <0.002 0.19 0.13 <0.002 0.11 **Guava** <0.002 0.42 0.13 0.27 <0.004 **Guava\*** <0.002 0.67 0.03 0.37 <0.004 **Black Currant** 0.03 0.24 <0.05 0.16 0.13 **Mixed fruit** <0.002 0.42 <0.05 <0.002 <0.004 **Apple** <0.002 0.19 <0.05 0.26 0.33 **Apple** <0.002 0.14 0.03 0.25 <0.004 **Pine-apple** 0.09 6.96 0.15 0.38 0.20

The ranges of concentrations were: Pb(30.3-235), Cr(9.0-15.5) and Cd(5.5-42.25) ppm in Igbo-Eze North. Pb (0.2-100), Cr(9.5-10.8) and Cd(0.51-44.8) ppm in Nsukka and Pb(14.8-165) and Cd(0.43-5.0) ppm in Udi. The order of abundance in the soil follow the order Pb>Cd> Cr. Compared with the work done in an automobile spare parts market the values for chromium and cadmium were relatively high. Compared with the Indian standard for heavy metals in soils, some of the samples exceeded the stipulated range of 3-6ppm for cadmium, indicating considerable cadmium contamination of some of the sampling points. However, the variations in the mean concentration of each metal in the three Local

Samples were collected from 17 different locations in Southeast Nigeria at various occasions covering the dry and wet seasons. In collecting samples from rivers, lakes and streams, the polyethylene sampling containers were dipped just below the surface to minimize the

**Cr Mn Ni Cd Pb** 

Absorption Spectrophotometer 205.

Source: Okoye & Ibeto, 2009

**6.3.2 Results** 

**6.4 Water** 

**6.4.1 Methodology** 

Table 4. Concentrations (ppm) of metals in fruit juice samples

Government Areas were not significant (P>0.05) (Okoye & Ibeto, 2008).

The metal analysis gave values (mg/L) with ranges as follows: Pb (nd-13.5); Cd (nd-0.60); Ni (nd-0.075) and Cr (nd-0.10). Less than 40% had high levels of lead and cadmium which are indicative of the impact of indiscriminate discharge of untreated industrial effluents, domestic waste and inputs from other human activities on the pollution of the environment by trace metals. Concentrations of lead and cadmium in five locations were higher than the WHO limits of 0.01 mg/L and 0.003 mg/L respectively. Water containing high levels of lead and cadmium is not fit for drinking purposes. This study has created awareness concerning the risk of drinking from the identified water sources which have high concentrations of lead and cadmium (Okoye et al., 2010).
