Assessment of Heavy Metal Concentrations in Pharmaceutical Effluents and Soils in Minna, Nigeria.

Abstract

In this study, five heavy metals (Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni, and Cd) were assessed in the effluent from Dana Pharmaceutical company in Minna, Niger State to ascertain their presence and evaluate their concentration. The impact in the soils receiving the effluents were also examined. Samples were collected from treated and untreated effluents and analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). Soil samples were also collected randomly from three locations on the plot receiving the effluents. The results of effluent analysis revealed that the heavy metals concentrations were beyond the allowable limit despite the consistent effort to bring down the concentration to allowable level. The level of soil contamination was determined using enrichment factor (Ef), degree of contamination (Cdeg) and index of Geo-accumulation (Igeo). Enrichment Factor values of heavy metal were found to be above 2 in all sampling site suggesting that the source of these metals are more likely to be anthropogenic. Unlike the Efs, the Igeo values were generally low (<2) in all cases except for Zn. Degree of contamination calculated for soil samples revealed an extremely high degree of contamination, indicating that the effluent discharge from the industry led to increased concentration of heavy metals in these soils. This study reveals the need for detailed effluent treatment before their discharge to surrounding environment to reduce their potential environmental hazards.