Open AccessTrace Metals Levels in Inorganic Fertilizers Commercially Available in Nigeria
Author(s) -
Nsikak U. Benson,
Winifred U. Anake,
Usoro M. Etesin
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of scientific research and reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2320-0227
DOI - 10.9734/jsrr/2014/7465
Subject(s) - cadmium , fertilizer , chemistry , urea , zinc , arsenic , environmental chemistry , inductively coupled plasma , vanadium , nuclear chemistry , inorganic chemistry , physics , plasma , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
Aims: To investigate the concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn) in commercially available inorganic fertilizers (calcium superphosphate and urea). Place and Duration of Study: Urea and superphosphate fertilizers were purchased from a local market in Uyo, Southern Nigeria. Methodology: A total of twenty seven fertilizer samples were randomly taken representing triplicate samples from three urea and six superphosphate original fertilizer bags. Each sample were digested and extracted using the ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) extraction technique. The elemental analysis was performed using an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometer (ICP-AES) (Optima 3000 – Perkin Elmer). Results: The analyses indicated the presence of trace metals in commercially available fertilizers sold in Nigeria. Cadmium was found in comparatively high concentrations. Zinc was found present in relatively high concentrations in both urea and phosphate fertilizer samples but As was found in low concentration. By comparison, the superphosphate
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