ID: 1943
Presenting Author: Professor Celestine U. Aguoru
Session: 639 - Contested Narratives: Misinformation, Mobilisation and Impact Assessment
Status: pending
Key Phrases: Impact Assessment, Heavy metals, Automobile spray workshops, Soil contamination, Environmental regulation, Information accurac
Previous environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for the siting of automobile spray workshops in Karu Local Government Area (LGA), near Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), often portrayed these facilities as having negligible environmental effects, leading approving authorities to believe that only minimal mitigation measures were required. This study assessed the actual levels of heavy metal contamination in soils around selected automobile paint workshops to verify or contradict such claims. Five sites—four experimental and one control—were examined for six toxic heavy metals: Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Mn, and Ni. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics (t-test), and pollution indices were calculated using the Heavy Metal Pollution Index (HPI) formula: Qi = (Ci / Si × Wi) / 100.
Results showed that heavy metal concentrations at the experimental sites were significantly higher than those at the control (P < 0.05). Only zinc was below the NESREA permissible limit of 10 mg/kg; all other metals exceeded their limits, indicating contamination. Lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) recorded HPI > 1.0 at all sites. The overall Pollution Index (PI) exceeded 1.0 at every location: One-Man Village (PI = 7.0), New Karu (PI = 6.7), and Mararaba (PI = 4.8).
The findings reveal that earlier assessments understated the environmental risks, misleading regulatory decisions. This misinformation has serious implications for environmental health and management. The study recommends remediation, stricter regulation, accurate reporting, and sustained monitoring of automobile spray pa
Aguoru, Celestine .U*., IAIA membership contact ID 109225
Prof holds a PhD in Plant Science with specialization in Biodiversity and Environment.
Coauthor 1: Olasan Olalekan
Coauthor 2: Chile T