Health impact assessment of quarrying in some parts of southwestern Nigeria.

Autor: Ajibade, Olumuyiwa Michael, Olisa, Olusegun Gbenga, Oladipupo, Seun Damola, Adegoke, Comfort Boluwaji, Adebayo, Oluwasegun Hezekiah
Zdroj: Arabian Journal of Geosciences; Apr2022, Vol. 15 Issue 8, p1-15, 15p
Abstrakt: Quarrying of rocks and minerals has contributed to the economic development of many nations. However, dusts generated from these quarries have caused environmental and health challenges. Health risk assessment of the environments around quarries in southwestern Nigeria was, therefore, carried out to delineate the effects of quarrying on the environment. Twenty four (24) samples of soil-dust around the quarries were collected within and outside 12 rock aggregates and limestone quarries in southwestern Nigeria and analyzed for elemental concentration using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry and results were subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS and Microsoft Excel. Geochemical results obtained revealed concentrations for Cu, Pb, Zn were above background values with concentration of Zn> Cu>Pb in the quarry soil-dusts. Metal association from inside and outside the quarries is mostly geogenic due to mineralogy while Pb-Cd-U is largely anthropogenically sourced. Health risk assessment was employed using potential ecological Risk Index (RI) and the Total Chronic Hazard Quotient Index (THI). Results revealed the Total Chronic Hazard Quotient Index (THI) of oral exposure to soil contamination in the area ranged 0.72–5.74 for children and 0.39–3.07 for adults with THI values above 1 depicting great potential hazard for both children and adults. Therefore, quarry industries should be sited away from communities to prevent damage to the environment and to avert diseases such as silicosis lung cancer, kidney problems and cardiovascular diseases which are usually associated with inhalation and ingestion of heavy metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Databáze: Complementary Index
Externí odkaz: