Exposure risk and source analysis of toxic metal(loid)s in indoor dust of Eastern Nigeria during COVID-19 lockdown

Outbreak and emergency occasioned by coronavirus virus disease forcefully led to imposition of lockdown in Nigeria; a situation that consequently exposed humans to heavy metal(loid)s laden dust. Hence, this study measured the concentration of heavy metal(loid)s in indoor dust from households of thre...

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Main Authors: Chideraa Courage Offor, John Kanayochukwu Nduka, Henrietta Ijeoma Kelle
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Indoor Environments
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950362025000426
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author Chideraa Courage Offor
John Kanayochukwu Nduka
Henrietta Ijeoma Kelle
author_facet Chideraa Courage Offor
John Kanayochukwu Nduka
Henrietta Ijeoma Kelle
author_sort Chideraa Courage Offor
collection DOAJ
description Outbreak and emergency occasioned by coronavirus virus disease forcefully led to imposition of lockdown in Nigeria; a situation that consequently exposed humans to heavy metal(loid)s laden dust. Hence, this study measured the concentration of heavy metal(loid)s in indoor dust from households of three selected semi-urban areas (Rumuodomaya-Ogale, Ekwulobia and Awka) of Eastern Nigeria. Dust samples (n = 144) were collected from household’s windows and floors using clean brush, filtered, digested by standard method and analyzed for Cd, Co, Ni, Hg, As, Mn, Al, Pb, Cr, Zn, and Fe using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (Model: Varian AA240, USA). Results show that Fe was dominant when compared to other metals assessed. Whereas the total heavy metal(loid)s concentration (THMC) of the floor dusts was higher than that of window dusts from Ekwulobia, there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in total heavy metal(loid)s level in window and floor dust of the three semi-urban areas across the months. Awka showed the least THMC in the window (1.17 – 1.52 mg kg−1) and floor (1.08 – 2.35 mg kg−1) dusts in comparison with Ekwulobia (window: 1.23 mg/kg to 9.05 mg kg−1; floor: 1.27 mg kg−1 to 9.22 mg kg−1) and Rumuodomaya-Ogale (window: 1.49 – 2.70 mg kg−1; floor: 1.24 – 2.23 mg kg−1). The cancer and non-cancer risk of exposure to the heavy metal(loid)s dusts was insignificant while most of the heavy metal(loid)s could be related to anthropogenic origin based on the Positive Matrix Factorization and Principal Component Analysis models.
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spelling doaj-art-1dc91b611474475fafc1176ec44432b82025-08-20T03:28:17ZengElsevierIndoor Environments2950-36202025-09-012310011310.1016/j.indenv.2025.100113Exposure risk and source analysis of toxic metal(loid)s in indoor dust of Eastern Nigeria during COVID-19 lockdownChideraa Courage Offor0John Kanayochukwu Nduka1Henrietta Ijeoma Kelle2Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology Research Unit, Pure and Industrial Chemistry Department, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra P.M.B. 5025, Nigeria; Corresponding author.Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology Research Unit, Pure and Industrial Chemistry Department, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra P.M.B. 5025, NigeriaDepartment of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, National Open University Abuja, NigeriaOutbreak and emergency occasioned by coronavirus virus disease forcefully led to imposition of lockdown in Nigeria; a situation that consequently exposed humans to heavy metal(loid)s laden dust. Hence, this study measured the concentration of heavy metal(loid)s in indoor dust from households of three selected semi-urban areas (Rumuodomaya-Ogale, Ekwulobia and Awka) of Eastern Nigeria. Dust samples (n = 144) were collected from household’s windows and floors using clean brush, filtered, digested by standard method and analyzed for Cd, Co, Ni, Hg, As, Mn, Al, Pb, Cr, Zn, and Fe using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (Model: Varian AA240, USA). Results show that Fe was dominant when compared to other metals assessed. Whereas the total heavy metal(loid)s concentration (THMC) of the floor dusts was higher than that of window dusts from Ekwulobia, there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in total heavy metal(loid)s level in window and floor dust of the three semi-urban areas across the months. Awka showed the least THMC in the window (1.17 – 1.52 mg kg−1) and floor (1.08 – 2.35 mg kg−1) dusts in comparison with Ekwulobia (window: 1.23 mg/kg to 9.05 mg kg−1; floor: 1.27 mg kg−1 to 9.22 mg kg−1) and Rumuodomaya-Ogale (window: 1.49 – 2.70 mg kg−1; floor: 1.24 – 2.23 mg kg−1). The cancer and non-cancer risk of exposure to the heavy metal(loid)s dusts was insignificant while most of the heavy metal(loid)s could be related to anthropogenic origin based on the Positive Matrix Factorization and Principal Component Analysis models.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950362025000426HazardsWindowsFloorsHealth risk assessmentSource modelling
spellingShingle Chideraa Courage Offor
John Kanayochukwu Nduka
Henrietta Ijeoma Kelle
Exposure risk and source analysis of toxic metal(loid)s in indoor dust of Eastern Nigeria during COVID-19 lockdown
Indoor Environments
Hazards
Windows
Floors
Health risk assessment
Source modelling
title Exposure risk and source analysis of toxic metal(loid)s in indoor dust of Eastern Nigeria during COVID-19 lockdown
title_full Exposure risk and source analysis of toxic metal(loid)s in indoor dust of Eastern Nigeria during COVID-19 lockdown
title_fullStr Exposure risk and source analysis of toxic metal(loid)s in indoor dust of Eastern Nigeria during COVID-19 lockdown
title_full_unstemmed Exposure risk and source analysis of toxic metal(loid)s in indoor dust of Eastern Nigeria during COVID-19 lockdown
title_short Exposure risk and source analysis of toxic metal(loid)s in indoor dust of Eastern Nigeria during COVID-19 lockdown
title_sort exposure risk and source analysis of toxic metal loid s in indoor dust of eastern nigeria during covid 19 lockdown
topic Hazards
Windows
Floors
Health risk assessment
Source modelling
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950362025000426
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