Assessment of Heavy Metal Contents in Automobile Workshops in Okengwe District in Okene Township, Kogi State, Nigeria

Abstract

The investigations were carried out to assess the distribution of heavy metals from the selected soils collected from automobile workshops within Okengwe District in Okene metropolis, Kogi State, Nigeria. The samples were collected from eighteen (18) functional sample sites with three different areas collected at random to form a composite sample. Contamination factor, degree of contamination, and pollution load index were jointly used to assess the level of heavy metals pollution. Soil samples were taken to the laboratory and analyzed for heavy metals such as Cr, Co, Pb, and Ni using standard analytical method. The mean concentrations of the metals were Cr (167.18±7.93-2010.79±9.48), Co (20.68±1.91-220.96±8.88), Pb (118.66±2.25-1081.56±9.03) and Ni (159.07±9.97-1220.29±23.73). The average concentration of Cr was much higher than any other heavy metals while that of Co was the lowest. Heavy metal concentrations in the sampling locations were in the order Cr> Ni >Pb > Co. Heavy metals concentrations obtained in soil were above the permissible limit of FAO/WHO values. The contamination factor, degree of contamination as well as pollution load index for the heavy metals were greater than one (1) indicating severe contamination.

The investigations were carried out to assess the distribution of heavy metals from the selected soils collected from automobile workshops within Okengwe District in Okene metropolis, Kogi State, Nigeria. The samples were collected from eighteen (18) functional sample sites with three different areas collected at random to form a composite sample. Contamination factor, degree of contamination and pollution load index were jointly used to assess the level of heavy metals pollution. Soil samples were taken to the laboratory and analyzed for heavy metals such as Cr, Co, Pb and Ni using standard analytical method. The mean concentrations of the metals were Cr(167.18±7.93-2010.79±9.48), Co (20.68±1.91-220.96±8.88), Pb (118.66±2.25-1081.56±9.03)and Ni (159.07±9.97-1220.29±23.73). The average concentration of Cr was much higher than any other heavy metals while that of Co was the lowest. Heavy metal concentrations in the sampling locations were in the order Cr> Ni >Pb > Co. Heavy metals concentrations obtained in soil were above the permissible limit of FAO/WHO values. The contamination factor, degree of contamination as well as pollution load index for the heavy metals were greater than one (1) indicating severe contamination.