{"title":"Heavy Metals Analysis in the Vicinity of a Northcentral Nigeria Major Scrap-Iron Smelting Plant","authors":"Benjamin Toba Ogunlade, Jamiu Adetayo Adeniran, Khadijat Abdulkareem Abdulraheem, Emmanuel Toluwalope Odediran, Ayodele Sarat Atanda, Afeez Kolawole Oyeneye, Ridwan Adeola Akapo, Rafiu Olasunkanmi Yusuf","doi":"10.1007/s41742-024-00657-8","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>Scrap-iron smelting, a critical industry for metal recycling, is notorious for releasing potentially toxic elements (PTEs) into the environment. This study investigates pollution levels, sources, and health risks of ten PTEs (Fe, As, Cd, Zn, Cu, Mn, Pb, Cr, Co, and Ni) in indoor and outdoor areas surrounding a major scrap-iron recycling plant in northcentral Nigeria. The potential sources of studied PTEs pollution during the rainy and dry seasons were evaluated using Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model. Ecological risk assessments of studied PTEs were conducted using different pollution indices such as Enrichment Factor (EF), Geo-accumulation Index (I<sub>geo</sub>), Contamination Factor (C<sub>f</sub>), Potential Ecological Risks Index (PERI), Nemerov Integrated Pollution Index (NIPI), and Nemerov Integrated Risk Index (NIRI). Out of the 10 PTEs studied, Cd had the highest pollution level and exhibited a high potential to cause cancer in children during the two seasons considered. Sources of PTEs identified for rainy season included recycling process, electronic waste, coal combustion, steel production, and other smelting activities whereas steel production, electronic waste, coal combustion, recycling process, and traffic emission contributed to the PTE levels obtained in the dry season. This study contributes to the understanding of the environmental impact of scrap-iron smelting operations and advocate for the implementation of sustainable practices that protect both human health and the environment.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Graphical Abstract</h3>\n","PeriodicalId":14121,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Environmental Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6000,"publicationDate":"2024-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Environmental Research","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s41742-024-00657-8","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Scrap-iron smelting, a critical industry for metal recycling, is notorious for releasing potentially toxic elements (PTEs) into the environment. This study investigates pollution levels, sources, and health risks of ten PTEs (Fe, As, Cd, Zn, Cu, Mn, Pb, Cr, Co, and Ni) in indoor and outdoor areas surrounding a major scrap-iron recycling plant in northcentral Nigeria. The potential sources of studied PTEs pollution during the rainy and dry seasons were evaluated using Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model. Ecological risk assessments of studied PTEs were conducted using different pollution indices such as Enrichment Factor (EF), Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), Contamination Factor (Cf), Potential Ecological Risks Index (PERI), Nemerov Integrated Pollution Index (NIPI), and Nemerov Integrated Risk Index (NIRI). Out of the 10 PTEs studied, Cd had the highest pollution level and exhibited a high potential to cause cancer in children during the two seasons considered. Sources of PTEs identified for rainy season included recycling process, electronic waste, coal combustion, steel production, and other smelting activities whereas steel production, electronic waste, coal combustion, recycling process, and traffic emission contributed to the PTE levels obtained in the dry season. This study contributes to the understanding of the environmental impact of scrap-iron smelting operations and advocate for the implementation of sustainable practices that protect both human health and the environment.
期刊介绍:
International Journal of Environmental Research is a multidisciplinary journal concerned with all aspects of environment. In pursuit of these, environmentalist disciplines are invited to contribute their knowledge and experience. International Journal of Environmental Research publishes original research papers, research notes and reviews across the broad field of environment. These include but are not limited to environmental science, environmental engineering, environmental management and planning and environmental design, urban and regional landscape design and natural disaster management. Thus high quality research papers or reviews dealing with any aspect of environment are welcomed. Papers may be theoretical, interpretative or experimental.