Analysis of Roadside Dust for Heavy Metal Pollutants in Jimeta/Yola Adamawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

A study of heavy metals in roadside soils is critical in assessing the potential environmental impacts of automobile emission on the soil. This study is aimed at analyzing heavy metal pollutants that may be present in roadside dust samples in Jimeta/ Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria. Dust samples were collected around mechanical workshops (MWK), motor parks (MPK), market areas (MKA), roundabouts/highways (RHW) and residential areas (RDA). The dust samples were digested using aqua regia digestion method and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer was used for the heavy metal analysis. The change in concentration of most of the heavy metals determined from different sites decreases in the following order MWK>MPK>MKA>RHW>RDA.  The heavy metals reveal a variation which indicates Fe>>Zn>Pb>As>Cu>Ni>Cr>Cd.  Iron had the highest concentration in all the sampling areas with range of 3460±198 - 5800±50 µg/g.  A lower value was observed for Cd with respective range of 0.48±0.05 - 1.74±0.06 µg/g.  Cobalt and selenium were not detected in all the samples.  Statistical analyses by ANOVA showed a significant difference (P<0.05) between the elements determined. This suggested that, the heavy metal pollutants in the roadside dust samples of Jimeta /Yola did not originate from common anthropogenic sources. Probably automobile emission due to traffic density, welding of metal and exhaust from power generators may have contributed to the presence of these elements in the roadside dust environment.