EFFECT OF MEDICAL WASTES ON PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF SOIL

Abstract

Human beings are totally dependent on the environment for life itself. In Nigeria, like in other developing countries open dump is the only available option for solid waste disposal in the cities. This study is aimed at determining the physical and chemical parameters of soil from medical waste dumpsites in south western Niger Delta, Nigeria. Samples were collected from University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Irrua Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Stella Obasanjo Hospital, Benin City, Edo State, Federal Medical Center, Owo, Ondo State, and Central Hospital, Warri, Delta State with samples from non-medical waste dumpsites around the selected hospitals as controls. Soil samples collected from medical and non-medical waste dumpsites were analyzed using standard procedures. The pH and electrical conductivity values obtained were higher in medical than in non-medical waste dumpsites. The values of calcium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, chromium, cadmium and lead ions were lower in medical waste than in non-medical waste dumpsites. In contrast, the concentrations of potassium, iron, copper, nickel and manganese ions were higher in medical waste than in non-medical waste dumpsites. The mean values of heavy metals obtained in medical and non-medical waste dumpsites did not differ significantly (P<0.05). There was heavy metal contamination of the soil from both medical and non-medical waste dumpsites as their values were above the WHO acceptable limits. The values of heavy metals from medical waste dumpsites were higher than the acceptable limit of WHO and FMEnvMeasures to reduce the contamination of soil from medical and non-medical waste dumpsites are advocated.