Elemental concentration of Harmattan dust sample in Iwo and Oyo Town, south west Nigeria

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The period of Harmattan season in Nigeria occurs between the month November and March, this is characterized by dry and dusty north easterly trade wind which blows from the Sahara Desert over Nigeria. Samples of the dust were collected at Iwo (7º 63'N, 4º 19'E) and Oyo (8º 12'N, 3º 42'E). The samples were analysed using AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy) machine located at Bowen University Iwo. It was observed that the sample of dust particle collected by the means of distilled water in Iwo town contains Ca (22.278ppm), Mg (8.904ppm), and Fe (2.133ppm), and the sample of dust particle collected by the means of the first rain water of the year under consideration contains Ca (5.494ppm), Mg (6.417ppm), and Fe (0.741ppm). For Oyo location, it was observed that the sample of dust particle which was collected by the means of distilled water contains Ca (17.701ppm), Mg (11.751ppm), and Fe (3.729ppm).More so, the sample of dust particle collected by the means of rain water for Oyo contains Ca (4.138ppm), Mg (4.074ppm), and Fe (0.412ppm). The results showed that there was less effect of harmattan dust on human health due to zero or no lead (Pb) content present in the same collected during the period.

Impact assessment of particulate pollution on maternal mortality in Nigeria

“…It is observed that the concentration of the sulphate particles is diagonally decreasing from south-west to north-east within 10 years. This result was observed to be consistent each year i.e., showing that the cause may likely be localized due to industrial pollution which may be linked to maternal deaths in south-west Nigeria 50 , 58 .…”

“…Sometimes, it may have heavy metal components, etc. For example, several researchers have proven that dust in both the north and south of Nigeria is made up of heavy metals such as Si, Ti, Al, Fe, V, K, Mg, Ca, Na, Cl, Cu, Pb, Zr, Zn, Br, Mg, As, Se, Cd and Mn [50][51][52][53] . Ogundele et al 54 had reported that almost the same heavy metals could be found in indoor dust.…”

Trace metals and mineral composition of harmattan dust haze in Ilorin City, Kwara State, Nigeria

“…Junge (1979) reported that on the average, it takes about twenty-four hours for the harmattan to reach the Northern part of Nigeria. As reported by Aweda et al, (2017), elements present in the harmattan dust comprise light and heavy metals. Bertrand et al, (1979) account for the dust particles deposited over the region where dust plumes predominantly originated from the Bodele depression in the Chad Basin.…”

The investigation of the presence of heavy metals and evaluation of their concentration level in forage grasses (Bracharia) at a dairy farm

“…Furthermore, 2 mL of the acid mixture was afterwards added and digested in the process, which was done at a temperature of around 150 °C for about 30 minutes, resulting in a clear solution of the sample. Aweda et al [16].…”