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. 2022 Mar 26:9:575-587.
doi: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2022.03.021. eCollection 2022.

Health risk estimations and geospatial mapping of trace metals in soil samples around automobile mechanic workshops in Benin city, Nigeria

Enuneku Alex Ajeh  1 , Filiya Jonathan Modi  2 , Isibor Patrick Omoregie  3
Affiliations

Health risk estimations and geospatial mapping of trace metals in soil samples around automobile mechanic workshops in Benin city, Nigeria

Enuneku Alex Ajeh et al. Toxicol Rep. .

Abstract

This study was carried out to assess the distribution of trace metals in soil samples from selected automobile mechanic workshops (AMWs) in Benin City, spatially map the concentrations and estimate the health risk indices for the exposed populace. Topsoil samples were collected from twenty-one (21) AMWs in Benin City in 3 composites for three months at each station. Soil samples were analyzed for heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Fe, Cu, Ni, Cr, and Zn) using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The non-carcinogenic risks caused by exposure to the metals were insignificant, characterized by in mean values of hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) below one (1) in adults and children. Carcinogenic risk (CR) occurred only in the children exposed to nickel through ingestion; attributable to ingestion. In adults and children, the risks associated with the uptake routes were in the order of ingestion > dermal contact > inhalation. The hazard index (HI) values of heavy metals for children and adults decreased in the order of Pb > Cr > Cd > Cu > Zn > Ni and were all lower than one (1), which indicated that the children and adults were not at non-carcinogenic risk. The contamination factors (CF) of all metals analyzed were lower than one (1), suggesting low contamination. The average CF decreased in the order of Pb (0.3715) > Zn (0.14) > Cu (0.087) > Cr (0.013) > Ni (0.01) > Fe (0.0007). Potential ecological risks of the trace metals in soils of these workshops revealed low pollution of the soils by the metals. Results indicated that the three routes of uptake in adults and children decreased in the order of ingestion > dermal > inhalation. The non-carcinogenic risks posed by metals to the children and adults were insignificant. Ingested nickel however posed potential carcinogenic risk to only the children. The toxicodynamics of heavy metals in the soil profile demonstrated in this study could be a vital information for future studies and decisions on the management of the health and environment of the study area.

Keywords: Automobile; Ecological risk; Geoaccumulation index; Health risk; Pollution load index; Trace metals.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

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Graphical abstract
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Map showing sampled locations.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Spread of Cr across the study area.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Spread of Ni across the study area.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Spread of Cu across the study area.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Spread of Zn across the study area.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Spread of Fe across the study area.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Spread of Pb across the study area.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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