An Assessment Of Heavy Metal Contamination In Soils And Vegetation – A Case Study Of Korle Lagoon Reclamation Site

ABSTRACT 

This study investigated the concentration of heavy metals and vegetation around the Korle 

Lagoon Reclamation site in Accra (Ghana). The dispersion of heavy metals such as Pb, 

Hg, Cd, As, Zn, Sn, Ni, Cu and Cr within the soil profile from a depth of 0 – 60cm (at 

20cm intervals) were assessed. A total of ninety (90) soil samples were taken from the ewaste zone (EW), central gardens zone (GZ), recreational zone (KD), reclaimed zone (RZ) 

and estuary zone (ES) and eighteen (18) soil samples were sampled from the control zone 

(CZ) at the Korle-Bu flats. Ten (10) samples of forage grasses (Panicum maxima and 

Imperata cylindrical) were also taken from each of the sampling zones and ten (10) 

samples each of lettuce (Latuca sativa) and bissap (Hibiscus sabdariffa) were taken from 

central garden zone (GZ) and the control zone (CZ). At the depth of 0 – 20cm, the ranges 

of heavy metal concentrations recorded were Hg (