Greener Journal of  Environmental Management and Public Safety Vol. 4 (3), pp. 028-036, October 2015.  ISSN: 2354-2276 

Research Paper

Manuscript Number: 051215071

 

(DOI http://doi.org/10.15580/GJEMPS.2015.3.051215071)

 

Geospatial Analysis of Lead Concentration in the Soil of Anka, Zamfara State, Nigeria

 

Felix Ndukson Buba^1* and Olatunji Sunday Aboyeji²

 

¹African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in English, Obafemi Awolowo University Campus, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

²Regional Centre for Training in Aerospace Surveys, Obafemi Awolowo University Campus, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Abstract

 

In March 2010, Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) reported an outbreak of lead poisoning in some parts of Zamfara State, Nigeria. This was alleged to have been caused by massive environmental contamination due to local ore processing. Most of the studies conducted on the problem so far have been limited to the clinical component. Analysis of the spatial dimension of the problem is inadequately known. The present study investigates the spatial dimension of lead concentration in the soil of the study area. In addition, the concentration of copper and cadmium which occur in association with lead was also determined in order to ascertain their level of toxicity, and hence their contribution to the degradation of the soil. Soil samples were collected and analyzed for the concentration of lead, copper, and cadmium. Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) spatial interpolation technique was employed to determine the spatial distribution of lead, copper and cadmium concentration, while comparative analysis was employed to determine their toxicity. Descriptive and t-Test (inferential) statistical analyses were utilized to establish a relationship between local gold ore processing and the concentration of lead in the study area. The results show high concentration of lead in areas where local ore processing is taking place and low concentration in non-ore processing areas, while concentration of copper and cadmium were seen to be within thresholds of internationally accepted standards. Student t-Test statistics applied to lead concentration values in mining and non-mining villages showed that T (tabulated) at 95% confidence level 0.05 > T (calculated) 0.000005. This implies there is a significant difference between the concentration of lead in mining and non-mining areas.

 

Keywords: geospatial, heavy metals, ore processing, environmental contamination.

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