Journal: Environmental Contaminants Reviews (ECR)
Author: Odiete, O.E., Chinemelu, E.S.

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

Doi:10.26480/ecr.01.2025.01.06

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the concentration of heavy metal in road-deposited sediments along Orho Agbarho-Patani Road in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Seven (7) samples were randomly collected by systematically sweeping an area of 1 m2 on the road surface with a hard broom and collecting it with a clean plastic dustpan, while a control sample was obtained from an uncontaminated site. The samples were analyzed for some heavy metals (Pb, Cr, Cd, Zn, Mn, Ni, and Fe) using the atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The results obtained showed that the mean concentrations of Pb (0.04 mg/kg), Cr (0.24 mg/kg), Cd (0.001 mg/kg), Zn (14.86 mg/kg), Mn (2.85 mg/kg), Ni (0.001 mg/kg), and Fe (107.78 mg/kg) were below the WHO maximum permissible limit and the Nigerian Soil Quality Standards, although localized contamination of Mn (15.221 mg/kg) and Fe (255.564 mg/kg) were observed at BC2 and BC3, respectively. Comprehensive environmental indices, including geo-accumulation index, enrichment factor, contamination factor, degree of contamination, pollution load index, and potential ecological risk index, confirmed severe contamination, particularly at specific sites. Notably, Pb and Cr posed significant ecological risks, while Cd and Mn posed moderate to high risks. Although the overall contamination levels were not immediately harmful, the long-term implications for human health and the environment cannot be ignored. Therefore, continuous monitoring and potential remediation strategies are necessary to mitigate the risks associated with heavy metal pollution in the region.

KEYWORDS
Road-deposited sediments, heavy metals, contamination, geo-accummulation index, ecological risk assessment.