International Journal of Advanced Research in ISSN: 2278-6252 Engineering and Applied Sciences Impact Factor: 7.388 Vol. 7 | No. 12 | December 2018 www.garph.co.uk IJAREAS | 1 HEAVY METAL CONCENTRATIONS IN DUMPSITE SOIL AND ITS ASSOSIATED ENVIRONMENT IN RUMUOLUMENI, PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA Friday, Upadhi and O. A. F. Wokoma,Department of Biology, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt ______________________________________________________________________________ _______________ ABSTRACT A survey of some heavy metal concentrations (Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Cr and Fe) in soil of waste dumpsite and its associated environment was undertaken in this study. Soil samples were collected from the dumpsite (station 1), staff quarters of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education Port Harcourt (station 2) and Fence of Eagle Cement Company (station 3) for a period of four months (January- May 2012). Mean concentrations of heavy metal obtained were 3.761±1.525mg/kg, 1.223±0.828mg/kg, 0.160±0.293mg/kg, 0.126±0.085mg/kg, 3.481±0.133mg/kg and 248.548±13.800mg/kg for Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Cr and Fe respectively with Fe having the highest concentration of 248.548±13.800mg/kg and Pb having the lowest concentration of 0.160±0.293mg/kg. The order of heavy metal concentration is Fe > Zn > Cr > Cu > Cd>Pb. Highest concentration of heavy metals across the stations was obtained in dumpsite soil (station 1) followed by Eagle Cement Fence (station 3). This result shows that plants planted close to dumpsite, surface and groundwater of near-by environments will be contaminated with heavy metal and will not be usable for human consumption and other categories of water usage. Wastes from the dump site can be reduced, reused and recycled. Keywords: dumpsite, heavy metals, accumulation, soil, rumuolumeni, INTRODUCTION Municipal wastes landfills are sources of ground water and soil pollution due to the production of leachates and its movement through refuse. Refuse waste will produce leachate if water is allowed to percolate through it (Shirdast, et al., 2010). The quality of leachate is determined primarily by the composition and solubility of the waste constituents. If waste is changing in composition, for example due to weathering or biodegradation, then leachate quality will change with time. This is particularly the case in municipal wastes. Heavy metals concentration in the environment cannot be attributed to geological factors alone, but human activities do modify considerably the mineral composition of soil, crop and water. Population and subsequent industrial growth has exacerbated the production of domestic, municipal and industrial wastes, which are indiscriminately dumped in landfill and water bodies without treatment. It has been revealed that municipal waste may increase heavy metals concentration in soil and water (Carison, 1976; Alboreset al., 2000; Ubaet al., 2008), whichmay have adverse effects on the host soils, crops and human health (Smith et