Application of Pollution Load Indices, Enrichment Factors, Contamination Factor and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals Pollution of Soils of Welding Workshops at Old Panteka Market, Kaduna-Nigeria

The concentration of five soil heavy metals ions (Cr6+, Cu2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, and Ni2+) was measured in eleven sampling sites along Old Panteka market Kaduna from two different depths. These chemical elements in the samples were determined using atomic absorption spectrometer. The assessment of heavy metal pollution was derived using the Enrichment Factors (EF) and geoaccumulation index (Igeo). This study revealed that the soil is predominantly polluted by Pb2+>Cu2+>Cd2+>Ni2+>Cr6+ and Cu2+>Pb2+>Cd2+>Ni2+>Cr6+ metal ions at 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm depths respectively. As recorded the highest EF value of 29.63 and 20.54 for Pb and Cu at 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm depths respectively followed by Cu (17.13), Cd (10.07), Ni (0.99) and Cr (0.53) at 0-5 cm and Pb (19.68), Cd (12.47), Ni (1.19) and Cr (0.55) at 5-10 cm depths respectively, and the mean Igeo provided the same trend of pollution levels as in the case of the EF, which indicates that the highest level goes to Pb (1.61) and Cu (1.58) at 0-5 cm; Cu (1.71) and Pb (1.50) at 5-10 cm depths respectively, which exhibits unpolluted to moderately polluted. Meanwhile, Ni recorded (0.15) and (0.22) at 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm depths respectively, while Cr recorded (-0.07) and (0.08) also at 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm depths respectively, which illustrates that both of these metals vary from unpolluted to moderately polluted. The concentrations of Cr, Cu, and Ni levels are below 0 at the control sites, which demonstrates background concentrations. Risk assessment results show high health risk to human adults and children due to metals’ exposure through contaminated soil ingestion.