Household dust and air quality in Damaturu, Nigeria

Desert dust storms which easily eject large quantities of dust in the atmosphere leading to the accumulation of heavy metals in the environment are a common experience in most parts of Yobe State, Nigeria. In this study, samples of indoor dusts were collected from twelve households located at four Government housing estates (BK, 3BRGR, 3BRGR, and SDA) in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital between the months of April and June, 2011. Samples were also collected at the same locations two weeks after the first series of explosions experienced in Damaturu in November, 2011. The elemental compositions of the samples were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric techniques. Heavy metals detected in the dust samples collected between April-June include, Fe, Cu, Mg, Pb, Zn, Si and their levels ranged from Fe (8425 ±162.8 μg/g) to Pb (24.2 ±4.21 μg/g) while the concentrations of the alkaline elements were in the following order: Ca > Na > K > Mg. The compositions of the dust after the explosion were insignificant but nitrate and sulphate were found to be highly enriched in the households. Positive correlations between metals at all the locations indicate that the sources of the dust could be similar and may likely be from anthropogenic activities, desert storms, road dust and additional pollutants from the explosion. Though the health effects of the dust on the residents were not determined but inhalation of the dust may expose them to both short and long-term cumulative health effects of heavy metal dust and other environmental hazards.