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Heavy Metals in the Soil Around a Cement Company in Sokoto, Northwestern Nigeria Pose Health Risks

by Tajudeen Yahaya 1 , Abdulrazak Umar 2 , Muddassiru Abubakar 3 , Abdulmalik Abdulazeez 1 , Bilyaminu Musa 1 , Yusuf Ibrahim 1
1 Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University Birnin Kebbi, PMB 1157, Kebbi State, Nigeria.
2 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria.
3 Department of Mathematics, Federal University Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria.

SUBMITTED: 08 January 2023; ACCEPTED: 11 February 2023; PUBLISHED: 12 February 2023

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Abstract

Abstract

Cement is widely used in the building industry because it is reliable and because its basic ingredients are inexpensive and abundant. However, the production of cement produces heavy metal-laden dust that can harm humans and the environment. This study aimed to determine the risk posed by heavy metals in the soil around a cement company in Sokoto, Nigeria. Soil samples were obtained at 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 km from the company and served as test samples, while control samples were obtained at 5.0 km away. The soil samples were treated and assayed for lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The values obtained were used to estimate the heavy metals’ average daily inhalation (ADI), average daily dermal exposure (ADDE), hazard quotient (HQ), health risk index (HRI), and carcinogenic risk (CR). Permissible levels of all the heavy metals were detected at all the locations (0.1 > 0.5 > 1.0 > 5.0 km). However, the ADI, ADDE, HQ, HRI, and CR of the heavy metals were above the permissible limits. It can be inferred from the results that the soil around the company can predispose humans to heavy metal toxicities. Consequently, the company needs to prioritize pollution control.
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Keywords: Carcinogenic risk; Cement; Hazard quotient; Heavy metals; Lead

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License
© 2023 Tajudeen Yahaya, Abdulrazak Umar, Muddassiru Abubakar, Abdulmalik Abdulazeez, Bilyaminu Musa, Yusuf Ibrahim. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Yahaya, T., Umar, A., Abubakar, M., Abdulazeez, A., Musa, B., & Ibrahim, Y. (2023). Heavy Metals in the Soil Around a Cement Company in Sokoto, Northwestern Nigeria Pose Health Risks. Industrial and Domestic Waste Management, 3(1), 17–26. https://doi.org/10.53623/idwm.v3i1.183
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