ABSTRACT

 This study focused on the assessment of Heay metals pollution in soils of selected abbatoirs in Abia State. This was done by collecting soil samples at a depth of 0-30cm at the study area to determine soil pH, Cu, Zn, Cr, Cd, Pb and Mn contents using standard methods and analysis of variance(anova was carried out for data sumrary. Mean soil pH value of ubakala abbatoir ranged: 7.76 while the mean soil Ph value of ohafi abbatoir ranged 7.17 meaning that both soils are alkaline soils.The mean concentration of hea' metals of ubakala abbaloir were 0.825 mg/kg (Cr), 12.5 mg/kg (Mn), 0.913 mg/kg (Cd), l2.37mg/kg(Cu), 0.515mg/kg(Zn), and 0.042 /kg(Pb), respectively while the mean concentration of heavy metals of ohafia abbatoir were 0.9625 mg/kg (Cr), 13.15 mg/kg (Mn), 2.285 mg/kg (Cd), 14.l6mg/kg(Cu), 0.20mg/kg(Zn), and 0.03 9mg/kg(Pb), respectively. The mean pollution index of heavy metals of ubakala abbatior were 0.0005 mg/kg (Pb), 0.0036 kg/mg (Zn), 0.3421 mg/kg (Cu), 0.0083 nm/kg (Cr), 1.1413mg/kg (Cd), 0.0 147 mg/kg (Mn), respectively whi1 the mean pollution index of heavy metals of ohafia abbatoir were 0.0005 mg/kg (Pb), 03933 n;eg/kg (Cu), 0.0014 mg/kg, (Zn), 0.0096 mg/kg (Cr), 2.8563 mg/kg (Cd), 0.0155 mg/kg (Mn). The study showed that both abbatoirs contained Pb, Cu, Cr, Mn, Cd and Zn. It was also observed that both abbatoirs have higher concentratiots of Cu and Mn, this could be attributed to the presence of waste carrying higher amounts i:f these heavy metals and the geological formation of the areas. The abbatoirs were observed not io pose any threat to human health at the moment since the concentrations of these metals are within the WHO acceptable limit, models applied to the result of heavy metals revealed that the source of metals in the soils from the abbatoirs were from anthropogenic sources. Also, the inde;: models confirmed that the soil were moderately polluted by Cd and it poses a low/consideralc potential ecological risk to the environment. .It is recommended that appropriate landfill f condemned meat should be considered, for example cementing the bottom and side surfaces c' the holes in order to prevent possible groundwater contamination. Abattoir staff should be tained in environmentally safe practices as well as