Evaluation of Some Heavy Metals in Soils around Major Parks in Gombe Town, Nigeria

The levels of heavy metals (Mn, Ni, Pb, Cr, Zn and Fe in mg/kg) in roadside soils from two main motor parks (Gombe Terminus and Tashan Dukku) in Gombe, Nigeria were assessed with respect to distance from the motor parks. The metals concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results show that iron had the highest concentration in all the soils and can be represented in the following order: Fe > Zn > Pb > Ni > Mn > Cr. The heavy metals concentrations were found to be higher in the roadside soils as compared with the control samples. Thus, the metals concentrations decrease with increase in distance away from the parks.