ISSN 2375-1266
African Journal of Environmental and Waste Management ISSN 2375-1266 Vol. 12 (1), pp. 001-009, January, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Assessment of Heavy Metal Chemical Forms in Sediments Surrounding Ashaka Cement Factory, Gombe State, Nigeria
Maina1* H. M, Egila2 J. N and Shagal1 M. H.
1Department of Chemistry, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State.
2Department of Chemistry, University of Jos.
Accepted 14 November, 2024
Abstract
A speciation study has been carried out to determine the distribution of heavy metals in sediments in the vicinity of Ashaka cement factory. Samples from eight sediment locations in the vicinity of the factory were screened, for the heavy metals Pb, Mn, Cu and Zn, by fractionation followed by analyses of fractions using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. Metal concentration within the the individual metal fractions of the sequential extractions were obtained as (Exchange, Carbonate, Fe/Mn, Organic and Residual) fractions. In all the locations, carbonate fractions were high because of high concentration of CaCO3 within the vicinity of the factory. In the sequential extraction scheme used in the present study, it is reasonable to envisage the mobility and bioavailability decreasing in the extraction procedure which is; Exchange> Carbonate>Fe/Mn>Organic. The metals Pb, Zn and Mn are predominantly in the Fe/Mn fractions and occur in this order in every sediment. Overall results of the present study suggest that the mobility and bioavailability of the four metals decline in the following order: Mn> Pb= Zn > Cu. All the levels of the elements in the various sediments however do not cause threat to plants because their concentrations were generally low.
Keywords: Sediments, cement, concentrations, sequential, bioavailability, heavy metals.