Abstract
Industrial pollution by effluents is one of the major problems facing Nigerians at present and several efforts are being vigorously engaged to control it in the various industry spanning the length and breadth of the country to see that Nigerians live in a disease-free environment. Some heavy metals contained in these effluents from the industry have been found to be carcinogenic, toxic or poisonous to the environment (plants, animals and humans). This research paper investigates the heavy metal content of the effluent and soil samples in order to determine the level of toxicity and pollution by the metals to the environment. The elemental analysis of soil and effluent samples were conducted. The soil samples were sourced 2-metres distance away from the discharge point of the effluent. The soil samples were digested using aqua regia for the elemental analysis for the detection of ten different metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, calcium, zinc, sodium, mercury, iron and cobalt) using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The values of the mean concentrations of the elements Pb, As, Cd, Cr, Ca, Zn, Na, Hg, Fe and Co in both the soil and effluent samples showed excessive levels above the recommended standards for WHO and NESREA with the exception of Na, Ca and Zn. This indicates that the effluent was discharged without proper treatment. It is therefore recommended that adequate monitoring should be done through aggressive supervision on effluent treatment before discharge. Local raw materials such as activated carbon, coal, rice husk, saw dust and clay should be employed in the treatment of the effluent as they are readily available and cost- saving.
Highlights
Paint is a fluid basically containing a solid colouring material, which is pigment and the liquid matter, which is the vehicle, in suspension
The average metal levels of the effluent and soil samples were compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Nigerian Environmental Standards and Regulations (NESREA) specifications
From the results shown in tables 1 and 2, the heavy metals occurred in trace amounts while Na and Ca occurred in appreciable amounts
Summary
Paint is a fluid basically containing a solid colouring material, which is pigment and the liquid matter, which is the vehicle, in suspension. The paint industry is a polymer by virtue of the fact that some of raw materials employed in paint manufacture are polymeric materials. The raw materials/ additives include resins, pigments, extenders, driers, plasticizers, dispersants, biocide, conductive polymers, binders, polymer-coated steel, bio-polymers e.t.c. Effluents are wastewater: treated, partially treated or untreated which reduces the wholesomeness and quality of the environment [4, 5]. Effluents may be classified as municipal, industrial, agricultural, institutional and research laboratory effluents [6, 7]. Effluents from paint industry is said to be one of the sources which contributes a greater percentage of the effluent/ wastewater which pollutes the environment
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