Heavy Metals Contamination in Soils in and Around Some Selected Auto Mechanic Workshops in Ga East Municipal Assembly of Greater Accra Region, Ghana

Abstract

Soils may be contaminated by gradual accumulation of high metals waste and metalloids, spillage of leaded petrochemicals, run off from agriculture lands, sewage sludge, wastewater, animal manure, combustion residues and paints through the activities of expanding industrial areas (Aloysius et al., 2013, Adelenka et al., 2011). One of the major sources of increasing heavy metal concentration of the environment, in most developing countries is the activities of auto mechanics (Adewole and Uchegbu, 2010 as cited in Aloysius et al, 2013). In Ghana, auto mechanic workshops are found in any available piece of land that is not developed in the vicinity of urban towns and cities where people reside. These auto Technicians are involved in the repair and maintenance of automobile, auto-electrical, welding and soldering, vehicle body spraying and other general services (Adams Sadick et al, 2015, Adelenka et al., 2011, Ipeaiyeda and Dawodu, 2008). In most of Nigeria states, a large track of land is allocated to a group of small scale auto mechanic technician and designated as "mechanic village" where most of the technicians come together along with the auto spare parts dealers to practice their trades (Adelenka et al., 2011, Nwachukwu et al., 2011,