Distribution pattern of some heavy metals in the dust particulates of Funtua Textile Limited, Katsina, Nigeria

Abstract

The sequential extraction of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb in industrial dust particulates collected in ten different sections/Departments of Funtua textile limited and the control site from Dikke village was carried out in order to ascertain the percentage of bioavailable fractions. Analyses of metals in the extracts were done using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS). The sequential extractions showed that significant amount of Cu25.87(O₁) to 92.73% (E₁) was associated with non-residual and 0.09 (E₁) to 56.94% (O₂) organic bound fractions; similarly, Cd was also associated with the non- residual fractions across the sites with values 42.22(W₂) to 97.78% (E₂). Cr and Ni exhibited the highest percentage of 73.46(W₁) to 100.00 % (W₂) and 23.64 (E₂) to 77.26 % (S₁), respectively. Pb in the particulate dust samples was significantly associated with the non-residual fraction and carbonate bound fraction with range of 21.71(D)–61.68(S2) % across the sites. This study revealed contamination of the particulates dust especially with Cu, Cr and Pb; this implies health risks to human, living or carrying out daily activities along the corridors of this industry.

Keywords: Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry, Funtua textile, Heavy metals, Particulates dust, Sequential extraction