This study investigated air pollutants associated with quarry activities and the variation of the pollutants with distance from the drilling section. Air pollutants were monitored with the use of automatic air samplers with the exception of ozone (O 3 ) which was determined by iodometric method. All sampling were replicated three times. The data obtained were subjected to descriptive statistics, analysis of variance and correlation. Means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range test. Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide were detected while sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and O 3 were below detection limit. Suspended particulates were the most significant of the air pollutants analyzed. Crushing section had the highest concentrations of PM 10 and PM 2.5 with 0.231 ± 0.018 mg/m 3 and 0.130 ± 0.010 mg/m 3 respectively followed by the drilling section with 0.074 ± 0.066 mg/m 3 for PM10 and 0.065 ± 0.045 mg/m3 for PM 2.5 . The mean levels of the total suspended particulate decreased significantly (p < 0.05) with distance from the crushing section to Jagun village.
Visible near infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (VNIR DRS) is being proposed as a rapid and cheaper alternative to conventional soil analysis. This approach to soil analysis will be especially useful when conducting an environmental risk management for petroleum contamination in soil. This study evaluated the potential of VNIR diffuse reflectance spectra for rapid non-destructive quantitative analysis of extractible total petroleum hydrocarbon (ETPH) in soils. It also assessed the effect soil organic carbon (SOC) has on the performance of partial least square regression (PLSR) models developed for characterizing ETPH in soils. Model performance was evaluated based on the coefficient of determination (R
2
), ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) and the root means square error (RMSE). Result show that VNIR DRS can be a potentially viable analytical tool for petroleum hydrocarbon contamination in soils. However, model quality was found to be affected by spatial variations within soil samples. Models developed from contaminated soils from highly variable geological origins had fair but promising model statistics (R
2
= 0.72, RPD = 1.4) as against excellent predictions obtained from contaminated soils with similar geology (R
2
= 0.97, RPD = 4.5) implying that the VNIR DR approach to characterizing petroleum hydrocarbon contamination in soils will be better suited to development of local prediction models. PLSR models developed for soil groups with SOC range (0.94–26.5% OC) gave quite robust prediction (R
2
= 0.90–0.97, RPD = 2.7–4.5), though a high SOC content slightly lowered PLSR model statistics. These results suggest that VNIR DRS can be quite useful for rapid characterization of petroleum hydrocarbon contamination especially when low budgets and reduced timelines are desirable for remediation purposes.
Quarrying activities are explored to extract a variety of materials deposited underneath the earth surface. These activities however can potentially impact negatively on soil quality and cause elemental pollution. This study assessed soil quality and distribution of metals in soils around four quarrying sites (PAPA, S&D, TCity and Mile 8) within Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. Thirty six topsoil samples were collected at distances from quarry gates in September 2019 and analyzed using standard methods. Soil quality and metal concentrations were compared with reference and standards and the degrees of soil contamination assessed using relevant indices. Soil quality reduced with distance from the quarry gates. Similarly, metal concentrations had strong and significant (P=0.05) negative relationships with distance and were higher in soil samples compared to the reference. Moderate contaminations for all metals were observed in soils collected close to the quarry gates soils from the results of the contamination factor index (Cf). However, the results of ecological risk index (Ei) showed that the metal loads in soils currently do not pose any ecological risk.
Keywords: Quarry, Soil quality, Metal distribution, Soil contamination, Potential ecological risk
This study assessed solid healthcare (SHC) waste management practices and levels of heavy metals in soils within four public healthcare facilities in Abeokuta, Nigeria. Walkthrough observation and one-on-one interviews were used to elicit information on waste management practices. Topsoils
of waste storage areas were collected and analyzed for heavy metals using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. SHC general waste is often burnt and buried at the general hospitals while licensed private operators collect it at the Clinics and Specialist hospitals. The Specialist Hospitals generate
the highest weight of all the waste categories and in the order; general > infectious > sharps > pathological > pharmaceutical, with the clinic having the highest rate of waste generated/patient (0.8kg/day). Heavy metal concentration (mg/kg) ranges are 5321.46 – 9356.49 (Fe),
96.72 – 314.49 (Zn) and 8.58 – 20.77 (Cr), with an indication of potential non-carcinogenic risks for all exposure routes for both adults and children. Mixed storage of all waste types is still being practised in some healthcare facilities, which portends the risk of infection
transmission and environmental pollution. Hence, there is a need to improve the segregation and special handling of SHCW to avoid environmental contamination and negative health-related impacts.
Groundwater forms a very important part of the water supply chain and its quality can be affected by improperly constructed septic tanks used by homeowners in peri-urban locations such as Abeokuta in recent times. Sixty groundwater samples collected from hand-dug wells ≤15m from septic tanks were analysed for physicochemical and bacteriological parameters using standard procedures. Results were integrated with multivariate and hydrogeochemical analyses to assess the effect improperly built septic tanks have on groundwater quality around the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. The range of values for the measured parameters include: pH (6.26 – 8.66), EC (83 – 1035 μS cm-1), TDS (42 – 621 mg L-1), Mg2+ (2 – 60 mg L-1), NO3- (5.09 – 17 mg L-1), Fe (-.04 – 5.32 mg L-1), BOD (0.1 – 13.2) and E. Coli (ND – 41×10 cfu mL-1). The abundance of major ions are in the order Ca2+˃Mg2+˃K+˃ Na+ and Cl- ˃SO42- >HCO3- >NO3- ˃PO42-. The piper trilinear plot shows that the dominant hydrochemical facies in the study area is the Ca2+–Cl- type. A correlation analysis and a principal component analysis both reflect intrusions from biological wastes such as surrounding septic tanks or municipal waste disposals as well as dissolutions from basal rocks. The possibility of infiltration from sewage into groundwater is confirmed by the number of samples with high BOD, NO3-, and E. coli concentrations. Contamination of groundwater with sewage exposes the populace to acute excreta-related illness. This therefore calls for stringent monitoring and management measures to be put in place by relevant regulatory authorities to safeguard the human health and environment within the study area.
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