Assessing the overwhelming metals in roadside soils of fundamental roads in Jos city, Nigeria

doi:10.52293/wes.1.3.16

Abstract

Studying the heavy metals in roadside soils is very important in evaluating the probable automobile emission’s environmental effects on the soil. To conduct the study, the soil samples were gathered and examined for the Pb, Zn, Mn, Cu, Ni, Cd, Co and Fe levels by the use of AAS. It was found that the order of the mean total metal content for the examined metals: Fe > Zn > Mn > Pb > Cd > Cu has a decreasing trend. Other than Cd, it was reported that all metals are lower compared to the levels of those found in other studies. Not involving Co and Ni shows that there is no pollution because of such metals. A correlation analysis was performed between metals and the traffic volume (V), indicating that there is a significant positive correlation (p < 0.05) between Pb, Cd and Mn, and V. In addition, the vehicular emissions are the main reason for originating the metal pollution in the soil for example motor vehicles. For this reason, the present study presents an applied approach to control the level of such metals.

Highlights

One of the social and economic activities which plays a main role is roads that has an important infrastructure
Various human activities are involved in generating trace metals in roadside soils, some examples of which are as follows: construction, vehicle, waste disposal, exhaust, coal and fuel combustion, an well as industrial and energy production (Li et al, 2001)
Sakagami et al, (1982) found that a close relationship existed between trace metal concentration in roadside soil and the ones in the dust falls

Summary

Introduction

One of the social and economic activities which plays a main role is roads that has an important infrastructure. Adefolalu al., (1980) found that in some developing countries such as Nigeria, developed road availability makes different additional job opportunities, ranging from vulcanizer and welders to auto-electricians, vehicle repairs, dealers and battery chargers in other developers of motor transportation. Such performances deliver trace metals into the air, followed by depositing into nearby soils, and absorbed by plants on such soils. Regarding various pollutants in the environment, a major role can be attributed to heavy metals which their concentration in water, air and soils, are increasing constantly due to anthropogenic activity

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Conclusion