Concentration of Heavy Metals in Waste Ashes from Five Sections of a Major Incineration Ground at Maikunkele, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

This research investigates the concentrations of some trace metals present in waste ashes collected from five different sections of a major incineration ground at Maikunkele, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. Waste ash samples from the sites were collected and prepared using standard analytical procedures and analytical grade reagents were used for digestion. An atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) was used for the analysis of the trace metal (Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd and Ni) content of the samples. The mean concentrations of trace metal in the ash samples differed significantly amongst sites which ranged from 34.1-104.4µg/g (Pb), 2.9-7.9µg/g (Cd), 94.6-206.7µg/g (Cu), 49.7-87.0µg/g (Ni) and 590.1-2622.0µg/g (Zn). These mean concentrations were found to exceed critical level for agricultural use at site 1 (Cd and Zn), site 2 (Cd and Zn), site 3 (Ni and Zn), site 4 (Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn) and site 5 (Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn). Further research is thus required to determine the plant availability of these metals in the ash and to assess the wider environmental and health implications of open burning of waste as a means of producing ash for agricultural purposes.