Abstract
Background. Acute widespread lead poisoning took place in Zamfara State, Nigeria in 2010. Over 735 children were reported dead and thousands sickened by the neurotoxin. The source was traced to artisanal gold mining and processing in the villages. An immediate medical response protocol was developed to provide oral chelation therapy to the vulnerable population. In order not to compromise the efficacy of the chelation therapy, immediate remediation of the affected villages was carried out. An over 95% reduction in soil lead levels was reported immediately after the remediation exercise.Objectives.The aim of the present study was to perform a general audit of soil lead concentrations, conducted between June and July 2013 in Dareta village (one of the most affected villages), to evaluate the soil pollution status of the village three years after the remediation exercise.Methods.Soil samples were collected from residential compounds, cultivated farmlands and other common areas. Lead contents of the samples were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Shimadzu, model AA-6800, Japan) after wet digestion. Speciation of lead in soil was done following standard analytical methods.Results.Mean soil lead concentrations for residential areas were 1029.42±98.50 mg/kg, 1523.99±201.00 mg/kg, 1404.57±141.00 mg/kg and 6724.68±84.00 mg/kg for residential compounds, market square, old grinding mills and new grinding mills, respectively. The concentrations exceeded both the Dutch target and intervention values and US Environmental Protection Agency limit for soil lead levels in residential areas. Based on the index of geo-accumulation, the ranking of intensity of lead (Pb) pollution of Dareta soils ranged from strongly polluted to extremely polluted, indicating they pose a range of moderate to very high potential ecological risk to the other components of the environment. At the current rate of accumulation, by the year 2025, soil Pb levels of Dareta common areas are expected to exceed the pre-remediation levels associated with several deaths.Conclusions.Findings of this study indicate that the problem of lead poisoning is ongoing in Dareta village. Zamfara State authorities should address the challenge through sustained periodic assessment and cleanup of affected areas. Implementation of safer mining practices should be enforced immediately.Competing Interests.The authors declare no competing financial interests
Highlights
Population growth and economic development can have negative effects on the environment and surrounding ecosystem, creating significant environmental problems with far reaching consequences to land, water and air.[1,2] Unregulated inputs of metal-contaminated materials into the natural environment pose a range of both short- and longterm environmental risks.[3]
Findings of this study indicate that the problem of lead poisoning is ongoing in Dareta village
The mean soil Pb levels of Dareta village common areas (Table 3) were all found to be above 400 mg/kg, which is the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) limit for soil lead levels in residential areas.[9]
Summary
Population growth and economic development can have negative effects on the environment and surrounding ecosystem, creating significant environmental problems with far reaching consequences to land, water and air.[1,2] Unregulated inputs of metal-contaminated materials into the natural environment pose a range of both short- and longterm environmental risks.[3]. An over 95% reduction in soil lead levels was reported immediately after the remediation exercise. The aim of the present study was to perform a general audit of soil lead concentrations, conducted between June and July 2013 in Dareta village (one of the most affected villages), to evaluate the soil pollution status of the village three years after the remediation exercise. Mean soil lead concentrations for residential areas were 1029.42±98.50 mg/kg, 1523.99±201.00 mg/kg, 1404.57±141.00 mg/kg and 6724.68±84.00 mg/kg for residential compounds, market square, old grinding mills and new grinding mills, respectively. At the current rate of accumulation, by the year 2025, soil Pb levels of Dareta common areas are expected to exceed the pre-remediation levels associated with several deaths. Environmental audit, lead, soil pollution, Dareta village, ecological risk, bioavailability/mobility Received February 26, 2019. J Health Pollution 23: (190910) 2019 © Pure Earth pollution of the environment are issues of great concern on a global scale due to their numerous sources, widespread distribution and multiple effects on the ecosystem.[5,6]
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