Suitability of urban wastes for crop production in Zaria, northern Nigeria: bioavailability and geochemical fractions of potentially toxic elements

Urban Farm DB summary

A pot experiment in Zaria, northern Nigeria, evaluated the chemical forms and phytoavailability of Cr, Ni, and Pb in savannah soil amended with two urban wastes and planted with sorghum. While urban waste application increased total metal concentrations in the soil, only Pb uptake by sorghum increased, with no corresponding increases for Cr and Ni. A single application of urban wastes significantly increased Pb uptake by sorghum, raising concerns about the long-term consequences of such applications in urban and peri-urban agriculture, especially regarding children's exposure to Pb.