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Determination and Human Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Floodbasin Soils in Owerri, Southeastern Nigeria

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine and assess the health risks associated with heavy metal contamination for residents in the vicinity of floodbasin in Amakohia, Owerri. Overall, 20 composite samples were collected at two depths (5 and 10 cm) following a simple random sampling technique and analyzed for Pb, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cr using Perkin Elmer AAnalyst 400 AAS following validation. The mean concentration of metals were 15.06 ± 3.85, 7.90 ± 3.22, 17.38 ± 4.19, 17.84 ± 4.29, 3.17 ± 0.74 and 3.16 ± 1.50 mg/kg at 5 cm while 15.50 ± 6.48, 7.09 ± 4.11, 12.37 ± 5.34, 16.08 ± 4.59, 2.53 ± 1.50, 2.66 ± 1.09 mg/kg at 10 cm for Cu, Zn, Mn, Cr, Fe and Pb respectively. Sources of these metals were mainly anthropogenic except for Fe which was geogenic as revealed by the Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Results obtained were further modeled for average daily dose (ADD), hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI) and carcinogenic risk (CR) via oral, inhalation and dermal pathways for adults and children following USEPA method. All metals showed low ADDs via oral and inhalation while dermal, in some cases had high values (> 1) for children for specific metals such as Cu (1.09) and Cr (1.29). HQs-dermal was generally high for children with Cu (27.25), Zn (1.90), Cr (430), Fe (25.26) while Pb was high for both adult (1.14) and children (575). The general order for ADD, HQs and HI were oral > dermal > inhalation for adults while for children was dermal > oral > inhalation. Total CR values were within the acceptable range of 10–6 to 10–4 of all pathways and generally indicated Pb to be a predominant contaminant. Overall, results suggested that the floodbasin soil pose potential health risks to children than the adult. Therefore, an effort to prevent the transfer of heavy metals in the soil to the surrounding environment should be encouraged and soil remediation to further reduce the concentration of heavy metals needs to be effected immediately in the area.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, Imo State University, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

    Christian Ebere Enyoh & Beniah Obinna Isiuku

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  1. Christian Ebere Enyoh
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Enyoh, C.E., Isiuku, B.O. Determination and Human Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Floodbasin Soils in Owerri, Southeastern Nigeria. Chemistry Africa 3, 1059–1071 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42250-020-00171-2

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