Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF CONTAMINATION OF POTENTIALLY TOXIC ELEMENTS (PTES)
FROM SOIL MATRICES OF NIGERIA MARITIME UNIVERSITY PREMISE

Journal: Acta Chemica Malaysia (ACMY)
Author:Avwerosuo, Ea, Nworu, J. Sa, Arisabor, Lb, Akporere, G.Ua
ISSN: 2576-6732
e-ISSN: 2576-6724

This is an open access journal distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

DOI: 10.26480/acmy.01.2024.25.30

This study aimed to assess the contamination levels of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the soil matrices of Nigeria Maritime University premises. Soil samples were meticulously sieved using a nylon sieve with a diameter of <125μm and prepared in triplicates, with reagent blanks included to monitor contamination. Twenty-five topsoil samples were collected and analyzed for PTEs using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (FAAS). Pollution levels in the soils were evaluated using the Pollution Load Index (PLI) and Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI). The mean concentrations of toxic elements in the soil followed the descending order: Cd < As < Fe < Pb < Co < Ni < Cu < Zn < Cr < Mn. Concentration ranges were Cd (0.13-0.95 ppm), As (0.49-4.50 ppm), Fe (6.42-24.80 ppm), Pb (5.96-31.45 ppm), Co (2.93-51.80 ppm), Ni (4.27-82.48 ppm), Cu (7.42-84.90 ppm), Zn (9.10-184.36 ppm), Cr (29.80-234.00 ppm), and Mn (84.30-486.00 ppm). All toxic elements exceeded crustal average values used as background values, except for Cr and Fe in some samples. Ni, As, Co, and Cr exceeded FAO/WHO guidelines, while only Cr surpassed EU standards in certain soil samples. Pollution Indices (PIs) indicated low to high contamination levels for Cu, Zn, Cd, and Mn, low to moderate contamination levels for Pb, Ni, Co, As, and Cr, and low contamination for Fe. The Pollution Load Index revealed that the soil ranged from unpolluted to moderately polluted, with values from 0.28 to 2.76. The toxic elements exhibited Ecological Index Ratios (Eir) of <40, indicating low potential ecological risk, except for Cd, Co, Fe, As, and Ni, which showed low to moderate ecological risk. Cd posed the highest contribution to the Ecological Risk Index (PERI), ranging between 18.24 and 109.67, indicating a moderate risk level..

Pages 25-30
Year 2024
Issue 1
Volume 8

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