Assessment of heavy metal pollution in drinking water due to mining and smelting activities in Ajaokuta, Nigeria

Abstract

Mining and smelting activities are the main causes for the increasing pollution of heavy metals from water sources. The toxicity of these heavy metals from the mining, milling and smelting companies can cause harmful and even lethal effects on the human health. The objective of this study was to investigate the level of As, Cr, Zn, Mg, Fe, Pb, Cd, Cu, Ag and Mn in well and tap water and assess the degree of pollution in the study area. Atomic Absorption Spectrometry investigation was carried out on 60 samples of water (Well and Tap) collected within and outside the mining and smelting area of Ajaokuta to determine the extent of these heavy metals contamination in their drinking water. The data of heavy metal concentrations reveal that the area has been slightly contaminated with the heavy metals, with As and Cr having the highest level of contamination. Correlation analysis between the selected heavy metals was conducted to further investigate the relationship between the metals. The result shows that these selected metals have common pollution sources related to the mining and smelting activities in the area.

Magnetic susceptibility measurement and heavy metal pollution at an automobile station in Ilorin, North-Central Nigeria

“…1 g of each soil sample was measured into a sanitized digestion flask. 3 ml of concentrated HCl and 9 ml of concentrated HNO 3 was added into the sample in the sanitized digestion flask (Orosun et al 2016b andUSEPA 1986). For more details on this method, see Orosun et al (2016).…”

Assessment of Radioactivity Levels and Transfer Factor of Natural Radionuclides Around Iron and Steel Smelting Company Located in Fashina Village, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria

“…Iron and steel scrap recycling has been of double advantage to Nigeria in terms of its contribution to secondary steel smelting. The scrap is both a raw material source and a waste management method for handling materials that would have otherwise constituted various forms of environmental hazards into useful forms (Owoade et al, 2015;Orosun et al, 2016b).This rapid growth has not been matched with the required strict regulations for environmental and personnel protection. Most of these industries are yet to invest in facilities necessary for improving their production processes.…”

“…If radioactive scrap contaminate the metal supply, it could expose steel workers, the environment to health hazard and potentially be incorporated into consumer products (EPA, 2015). Emissions, which include a range of air pollutants associated with the iron smelter production processes has remained a great concern (Brook et al Orosun et al, 2016b). Contamination of the food chain occur as a result of direct deposition of these radionuclides on plant leaves, fruits, tubers, root uptake from contaminated soil or water, and animals ingesting contaminated plants, soil or water (Velasco et al, 2004).…”

Determination of Selected Heavy Metals and Human Health Risk Assessment in Fishes from Kiri Dam and River Gongola, Northeastern Nigeria

“…Then the samples were digested, using a microwave digester. The completely digested samples were allowed to cool to room temperature, filtered (glass wool), and made up to 25 ml in a 25 ml standard flask which was finally transferred into plastic reagent bottle for Atomic Absorption Spectrometry [1]. The Atomic Absorption Spectrometry is a spectro-analytical procedure for the quantitative determination of chemical elements using the absorption of optical radiation (light) by free atoms in the gaseous state.…”

“…Some of these elements are toxic to living organisms even at quite low concentrations, whereas others are biologically essential and natural constituents of the aquatic ecosystems and only become toxic at very high concentrations [1]. In fish, the toxic effect of heavy metals may influence physiological functions, individual growth rates, reproduction and mortality [2][3][4][5][6].…”