Assessment of Heavy Metals in the Dust Fall from Three Universities' Motor Parks in Nigeria

Dust fall samples in University of Ilorin, University of Ibadan and Kwara State University motor parks were collected using open bucket sampler based on ASTM D1739 of 1998 (2010) for five months from November, 2014 to March, 2015. 0.1g of dust sample was digested with 20 ml of HNO3, HClO4 and HF in ratio of (3:2:1) respectively and the heavy metals (Mn, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, and Ni) were analysed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer.

Generally, decrease in the following order; 1479.75, 1255.675, 241.498, 128.00, 85.25, and 9.625 mg/kg for Mn, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu and Cd respectively were found at University of Ibadan. The decreased in average mass of heavy metals obtained in University of Ilorin were found to be 1145.75, 797.75, 219.625, 133.51, 58.25 and 23.125 mg/kg for Mn, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu and Cd respectively. For Kwara State University, decrease in the following order; 778.5, 323.875, 259.375, 101.375, 34.375, and 4.625 mg/kg for Mn, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu and Cd respectively were found. Generally, the heavy metal concentrations decreases in the following order Mn>Zn>Pb>Ni>Cu>Cd for all the three sites.