Earthworms as bioaccumulators of copper, lead, and chromium in Araromi automobile spare-parts market, Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34188/bjaerv9n2-355Palavras-chave:
bioaccumulation, copper, earthworms, heavy metals, lead, soil pollutionResumo
Heavy metal contamination of soils has become a significant environmental concern due to increasing urbanization and anthropogenic activities. Automobile spare-parts markets constitute important sources of environmental pollution because of the indiscriminate disposal of used engine oils, batteries, metal scraps, tyres, paints, and other automobile wastes that contain toxic heavy metals. This study investigated the concentrations of copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and chromium (Cr) in soils and earthworms collected from the Araromi automobile spare-parts market, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, and evaluated the bioaccumulation potential of earthworms as indicators of soil contamination. Soil and earthworm samples were collected from six sampling points established along a contamination gradient extending from the centre of the market to a distance of 700 m. Heavy metal concentrations were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) following acid digestion of the samples. A total of 178 earthworms comprising four adults and 174 juveniles were recovered during the study. Earthworms were absent from sampling points closest to the market centre, indicating possible adverse effects of contamination on their distribution. Lead recorded the highest concentration in both soil and earthworm tissues, while chromium exhibited the lowest concentration in soils. Copper and lead concentrations generally declined with increasing distance from the market centre. The occurrence of heavy metals in earthworm tissues confirmed their ability to accumulate contaminants from the surrounding environment. The results demonstrate that automobile-related activities contribute substantially to heavy metal contamination of soils and highlight the usefulness of earthworms as bioindicators of environmental pollution. The study emphasizes the need for effective waste management and continuous environmental monitoring in automobile spare-parts markets.
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