Determination of Some Heavy Metals in Soil Samples from Selected Abattoirs in Kaduna Metropolis

ABSTRACT

Heavy metals have harmful effects on human health, and exposure to these metals has been increased by industrial and anthropogenic activities and modern industrialization. This study was carried out to determine the concentration of heavy metals such as Lead, Cadmium, Chromium, Zinc and Nickel in soil samples from different sampling sites (MND, SBO, BRN, RGS, KAW, KKR, and ZAN) within Kaduna Metropolis. The concentrations were obtained using Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS) Shimazo AA000F/G model in the range of 7.27 ± 0.27 µg/g - 5.48±0.33, 0.97±0.09 - 5.19±0.20 μg/g, 34.05±0.17- 40.04±0.18μg/g, 5.54±0.18 - 7.02±0.26μg/g and 0.070±0.007 - 0.040±0.003μg/g for Chromium (Cr), Nickel (Ni), Zinc (Zn), Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd) respectively. The highest concentration of Chromium (Cr) was obtained in MND with 7.27±0.27µg/g which was higher than that obtained from the control site (KRM) with mean concentration of 6.31±0.44 µg/g, RGS has the lowest concentration with value 5.48 ± 0.33µg/g Which was lower than that obtained from the control site. The highest concentration of Nickel was obtained in KKR with value 5.19±0.20 μg/g which was higher than that obtained from the control site (KRM) with mean concentration of 1.11±0.13µg/g ,while MND has the lowest concentration with 0.97±0.09 μg/g which was lower than that obtained from the control site.The highest concentration of Zinc was obtained in RSG with 40.04±0.18 μg/g while BRN has the lowest concentration with 34.05±0.17μg/g. These were higher than that obtained from control site (KRM) with mean concentration of 33.35±0.15 μg/g. The highest concentration of lead was obtained in KKR with 7.02±0.26μg/g, which was higher than that obtained from the control site (KRM) with mean concentration 6.60±0.06μg/g. BRN had the lowest concentration with 5.54±0.18μg/g, which was lower than that obtained from the control site (KRM) with mean concentration of 6.60±0.06μg/g. The highest concentration of Cadmium was obtained in MND with 0.070±0.007μg/g while KAW has the lowest concentration with 0.046±0.000 μg/g,these were higher than that obtained from control site (KRM) with mean concentration of 0.040±0.003 μg/g. The high concentrations obtained from some sites could be due to fertilizer use or metal waste runoff. This analysis of variance shows that were significant differences among all the samples.
Keys:
MND (Mando), SBO (Sabo), BRN (Barnawa), RGS (Rigasa), KKR (Kakuri), ZAN (Zango),KRM (Kurmin Mashi)