Heavy Metal Contamination Of Roadside Soils, Stagnant Pools And Sediments In Warri, Nigeria

Abstract

The Pb, Cd, Ni, Cu and Zn contents in roadside soils, stagnant pool and sediments from 6 major highways in Warri, Nigeria were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. The concentration levels found (in mg/g) were: Pb, 11.1 – 275.4; Cd, 0.12 – 0.87; Ni, 2.68 – 64.86; Cu, 2.91 – 22.76 and Zn, 16.38 – 76.31. Lesser degree of contamination was found in stagnant pool and sediments. Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn contamination were correlated with traffic conditions and decreased exponentially with the distance from the road edge; and dropped to a background level at about 20m.

Keywords: Metal; contamination; roadside; soils; pools; sediments

JORIND Vol. 6 (1) 2008: pp. 2-2