Risk assessment of heavy metals in soil based on the geographic information system-Kriging technique in Anka, Nigeria

Johnbull, Onisoya;Abbassi, Bassim;Zytner, Richard G.

• Received : 2018.03.31
• Accepted : 2018.07.12
• Published : 2019.03.31
• 17 0

Abstract

Soil contaminated with heavy metals from artisanal gold mining in Anka Local Government Area in Northwestern Nigeria was investigated to evaluate the human health risk as a result of heavy metals. Measured concentration of heavy metals and exposure parameters were used to estimate human carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk. GIS-based Kriging method was utilized to create a prediction maps of human health risks and probability maps of heavy metals concentrations exceeding their threshold limits. Hazard index calculation showed that 21 out of 23 locations are posing non-cancer risk for children. Adults and children are at high cancer risk in all locations as the total cancer risk exceeded $1{\times}10^{-6}$ (the lower limit CTR value). Kriging model showed that only a very small area in Anka has a hazard index of less than unity and cumulative target risk of less than $1{\times}10^{-4}$, indicating a significant carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks for children. The probability of heavy metals to exceed their threshold concentrations around the study area was also found to be high.

Keywords

Carcinogenic;Heavy metals;Human risk assessment;Kriging;Non-carcinogenic