Finding a relationship between mobility factors of selected heavy metals and soil particle size in soils from children's playgrounds.

Abstract

In the 3-year study, heavy metals mobility factors for soils of public playgrounds within Owerri metropolis were correlated with soil particle size. Such studies could develop a body of knowledge that could enable detection and quantification of potential risk of metals to children from playground soil without actually involving children. Calculated values of mobility factors were subjected statistical treatment and to obtain descriptive statistics. Regression analysis of mobility factors and particle size were determined. Copper and zinc were most mobile elements, while cobalt was leastmobile. Result showed that clay particle size had strong influence on mobility factors. The significance of this study is that recent estimation of mobility factors of metals are used to expand its possible understanding and application to fundamental and practical problems of ecotoxicology of metals which could reflect metals potentials to cause harm thereby permitting the evaluation of metals toxicity without direct involvement of children.