Assessment Of Some Heavy Metals And Organic Contaminants Level Around Some Selected Hospitals And Municipal Dumpsites In Kaduna Metropolis, Nigeria 

Filed in Articles by on July 12, 2022

Assessment Of Some Heavy Metals And Organic Contaminants Level Around Some Selected Hospitals And Municipal Dumpsites In Kaduna Metropolis, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to assess the levels of some selected heavy metals and identify organic contaminants from soil collected from hospitals dumpsites and incinerator ash within Kaduna metropolis.

Samples (soil and ash) were collected from three medical and one municipal dumpsite between the hours of 8am and 11am, when disposal activities are high.

The mean concentrations of some heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd and Fe) were determined in both seasons by atomic absorption spectrophotometry while organic contaminants were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Data of heavy metals collected were analyzed using ANOVA to conduct a test of significance; pollution index to assess environmental risk and Pearson’s correlation to determine relationship between parameters.

The result showed the order of relative abundance as Fe>Zn>Cu>Pb>Cd. Saint Gerard catholic hospital dump soil contained more heavy metal concentration due to its high contents of sharps as waste while the municipal dump soil has the highest mean concentration of cadmium.

The result also indicated a decreasing pattern in the mean concentrations of the heavy metals vertically down the soil depths. Seasonal variation shows high concentrations of heavy metals during the dry season than the wet season.

Heavy metals were not destroyed by incineration and their concentrations depend on the amount of metals in the waste. The result from GC-MS showed some organic pollutants that have strong health implications.

The pollution index showed that the municipal dump soil is severely polluted with cadmium and it is, therefore not recommended for agricultural activities.

The pollution levels of the heavy metals decreased in the order Cd>Fe>Pb>Cu>Zn. Strong positive correlation (P>0.01) was recorded between Pb and Cu and between Fe and Zn. Cadmium has a positive correlation (P>0.05) with Cu and Pb.  

INTRODUCTION  

A modern hospital is a complex, multi-disciplinary system which consumes thousands of items for delivery of medical care and is a part of the physical environment (Chandra, 1999). It is place where patients’ health problems are diagnosed, analyzed and treated.  During these activities, generation of solid waste is unavoidable.

The medical waste tracking act of United State defines medical waste as “any solid waste’’ that is generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of human beings or animals, in research pertaining thereto, or in the production or testing of biological and the animal waste from slaughter houses or any other establishment (US.EPA, 1988).

World health organization (WHO) defines hospital waste as the total waste stream from a health care or research facility that includes both potential risk wastes and non-risk waste materials.

WHO (1999) states that 85% of hospital wastes are actually non-hazardous, whereas 10% are infectious and 5% are non- infectious but they are included in hazardous waste.

Most medical waste constitutes a small fraction of municipal solid waste and if not properly handled could be hazardous. Municipal solid waste (MSW) normally termed as ‘‘garbage’’ or ‘‘trash’’ is an inevitable byproduct of human activity.

It is usually generated from human settlements, small industries and commercial activities (Singh et al., 2011). An additional source of waste that finds its way to MSW is the waste from hospitals and clinics.

REFERENCE

Agency for toxic substance and disease registry (ATSDR). (2004). Toxicological Profile for Copper.
Atlanta, GA: US, Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Pp 22-68.
Ahn, P.M. (1993). Tropical Soils and Fertilizer Use. Longman Scientific Technical, UK. [In] Major Oxides
and Trace Elements Composition of Phosphate Bearing Sedimentary Rocks from Sokoto, Nigeria.
American Journal of Environmental Protection, (2015), 3 (4): 106-111
Akinbile, C.O., and Yusuff, M.S. (2011). Environmental Impact of Leachate Pollution on Groundwater
Supplies in Akure Nigeria. International Journal of Environmental Science and Development, 2:81-89
Alloway, B.J., and Ayres, D.C. (1997). Chemical Principles of Environmental Pollution, Blackie
Academic and Professional, Chapman and Hall, London, Pp 190-242.
Anikwe, M.A.N., and Nwobodo, K.C.A. (2002). Long Term Effects of Municipal Waste Disposal on Soil
Properties and Productivity of Sites Used for Urban Agriculture in Abakaliki Nigeria. BioResource Technology, 83: 241-250.
Anita, R., and Kunal. (2001). Bio-medical Waste Incinerator Ash: A Review with Special Focus on its
Characterization, Utilization and Leachate Analysis. International Journal of Geology, Earth and
Environmental science. 1(1): 25-45.
Anonymous. (2005). Acros Organic Safety Data Sheet. Fisher Scientific. Pp 1-8
Ayolagha, G.A., and Onwugbata, G.C. (2001). Suitability Comparison of Waste Disposal Site. 27th
Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Soil Science of Nigeria. Novenber 5-9, 2001,
University of Calabar, Nigeria.
Babanyara, Y.Y., Ibrahim, D.B., Garba, T., Bogoro, A.G., and Abubakar, M.Y. (2013). Poor Medical Waste
Management Practices and its Risk to Human Health and the Environment. International Journal
of Environmental, Ecological and Mining Engineering. 7(11): 1-8.
Badmus, B.S., Ozebo, V.C., Idow, O.A., Ganiyu, S.A., and Olurin, O.T. (2014). Physio-chemical Properties
of Soil Samples and Dumpsites Environmental Impact on Groundwater quality in South Western
Nigeria. The Africa Review of Physics, 9: 114.

Comments are closed.

Hey Hi

Don't miss this opportunity

Enter Your Details