Abstract

The proliferation of electronic waste is a global problem. It is hypothesized that heavy metals from mobile phones will percolate through mangrove and farm soils. Sixteen mobile phones were collected and buried in two containers (volume 14, 142.86 cm³) bearing mangrove and farm soils and left for I year to decompose. A total of 60 soil samples were analyzed for Arsenic, Cadmium, Copper, Lead, Nickel and Zinc. There was a significant difference in the concentration of metals (F_{5, 66} = 36.64, P < 0.0001). Zinc, Copper, and Nickel had the highest concentration while Cadmium had the least concentration in both soils. Mangrove soil had a higher heavy metal concentration than farm soil even though there was no significant difference (P > 0.05). Similarly, there is no significant difference in heavy metal concentration between soil layers and seasons (P > 0.05). Although, top soil had higher concentration whereas during the dry season heavy metal was higher in the top and middle layers while during the wet season heavy metals was higher in the middle and bottom layers.  The result implies that heavy metal concentration between soil layers was influenced by seasonal fluctuations. Bio-monitoring of ground water is important to prevent pollution.