Mineral composition of soil, plants, water and total bacteria of samples from Arinta water falls in Ipole-Iloro, Nigeria

E. I. Adeyeye¹, E. D. Fagbohun² and A. T. Odeyemi²

¹Department of Chemistry and University of Ado-Ekiti, P.M.B. 5363, Ado-Ekiti Nigeria.

²Department of Microbiology, University of Ado-Ekiti, P.M.B. 5363, Ado-Ekiti Nigeria.

ABSTRACT: The soil, plants (Pnematopteris afra and Macaranga stauatii), water along the channel of Arinta Water Falls in Ipole-Iloro, Nigeria, were evaluated for their mineral composition as well as the total bacteria count of the water samples. Sites of sample collection were six (M1-M6) and a distance of 0-477cm in the channel. In the soil, Pb, Ca, Cr, Cd and Co were not detected in any site whereas Cu was detected in two sites and Mn in only one site; Na, K, Zn, Fe and Mg were detected in all the sites but levels of Zn, Cu and Mn were low. In the plant P. afra, Na, K, Zn, Ca, Fe and Mg were highly concentrated in the leaves, stem and roots with levels in stem > leaf in Na, K and Mg. Similar trend was observed in M. stauatii but the levels being more consistently concentrated in stem > leaf > root in Na, K, Ca, Fe and Mg. The metal bioconcentration factors were all intensive for the two plants. The following physico-chemical water parameters were within the WHO guidelines for potable water: pH, alkalinity, hardness, conductivity, sulphate, nitrate, chloride, total solid, suspended solid and dissolved solid whereas turbidity and phosphate were antagonistic. For the minerals: Na, K, Zn, Fe, Pb, Cu and Mn were mostly within the WHO guidelines unlike Ca and Mg. After 24 hours incubation, the total bacteria count was less than 100 in all the samples and Gram staining results were all negative. The water could be regarded as potable after little treatment and also good for domestic use.

KEYWORDS: Arinta Water Falls; mineral composition; soil; plants; water; water bacteria load

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