ASSESSMENT OF SOIL CONTAMINATION BY AUTO-MOBILE WASTE IN GWAGWALADA, FCT

Abstract

This study investigated soil contamination by auto-mobile waste in Gwagwalada, FCT. Thirty soil
samples were collected each at sites within selected automobile workshops and sites that are far
from the workshop without the influence of workshop activities (control sites). The levels of eight
heavy metals (Mn, Cu, Fe, Zn, Pb, Cr, Co and Cd) were determined using atomic absorption
spectrophotometer (AAS). Data interpretation involved the use of descriptive statistics and mean
to test for the levels of heavy metals between the workshop sites and control sites. Findings
revealed that heavy metals were generally higher in soils under the influence of automobile
workshop activities than the areas farther. The mean values of Mn, Cu, Fe, Zn, Pb, Cr, Co and Cd
were 59.77, 10.24, 180.04, 45.74, 13.10, 0.02, 1.72 and 1.69 mg/kg respectively in soils under the
influence of automobile workshop activities, 44.56, 7.74, 96.81, 22.02, 9.99, 0.00, 1.19 and 1.61
mg/kg at upstream location and 32.59, 3.53, 49.38, 17.71, 6.34, 0.01, 0.96 and 2.01 at downstream
location, respectively in soils farther from the automobile workshop. There were significant
variations in the levels of heavy metals between the automobile workshops and the control sites.
Soils at these mechanic shops sites should be occasionally be sampled for laboratory analysis to
know the heavy metal status of the soil and also to monitor for healthy soils.