Determination of Heavy Metals in the Hair of Some Occupational Workers in Some Local Government of Adamawa State, Nigeria
1Ishaku Sunday, 2Maitera O.N., 3Ndahi A. Jibril and 4Idrisa Wazamtu
1,2&3Department of Chemistry Modibbo Adama University Yola. Adamawa state Nigeria
4Department of Science Laboratory Technology Ramat Polytechnical Maiduguri Borno State Nigeria
Corresponding author: – skwaskina@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to determine the heavy metals concentration in hair samples of occupational workers (mechanics, electricians, and welders) in the Mubi, Gombi, and Numan local government areas of Adamawa State. The hair sample was washed with non-ionic detergent and acetone to remove contamination and digested with 20cm3 of 3:1 mixture of concentrated nitric acid and perchloric acid. The sample was later analysed using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry for the determination of heavy metals lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), Zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn) and copper (Cu). The results of this study show that heavy metals in hair samples from different subjects accumulate differently based on exposure. The concentrations of heavy metals in welder workers’ hair are the highest values among other occupations (mechanics and electricians), except in Mubi where mechanics workers have the highest concentration. The levels of all the metals increase with respect to age except age 26 – 40 in Mubi which is even higher than the aged group 41 – 55. This research shows that there is a statistically significant relationship between the type of work or workplace and the heavy metal concentration detected in hair samples. There is an instantaneous need for public awareness about the hazards of this occupation to enable occupational workers to take necessary precautionary measures.
Keywords: Heavy metals, Human hair, Occupational workers (welders, mechanics, and electricians)
CITE AS: Ishaku Sunday, Maitera O.N., Ndahi A. Jibril and Idrisa Wazamtu (2024). Determination of Heavy Metals in the Hair of Some Occupational Workers in Some Local Government of Adamawa State, Nigeria. NEWPORT INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC AND EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCES, 5(1):5-12. https://doi.org/10.59298/NIJSES/2024/10.5.15121