Assessment of Vehicular Pollution of Road Side Soils in Ota Metropolis, Ogun State, Nigeria
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Abstract
Description
Vehicular emission has been found to constitute one
of the major sources of soil pollution. We have investigated the
influence of vehicular emissions on the accumulation of heavy
metal in the roadside soils of Ota metropolis, Ogun State,
Nigeria. The main objective of this research was to determine the
impact of heavy metals such as copper, cadmium, lead,
manganese, nickel and sulphate from vehicular pollution on soil
around Ota. Seven locations were selected on the basis of their
high concentration of vehicular traffic. Three sites with low
traffic concentration were also selected outside the seven
locations to act as control sites. Samples were taken in a period of
three months in the dry season. The concentrations of five heavy
metals and sulphate in the samples were determined with an
atomic absorption spectrometer. The concentrations of the heavy
metals from the seven main sites were higher than in the control
sites. The concentration of each heavy metal and sulphate in the
seven locations was below the European Union regulatory
standard. Although these concentration are below the European
Union regulatory standard, these heavy metals and sulphate,
which over time are washed by erosion into the local areas used
for farming, may pose health hazards. The enhancement of fuel
quality and the adoption of emission standards to mitigate the
impact of vehicular emissions on human health should be made
mandatory.
Keywords
TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)