Multivariate and metal pollution studies in surface soil from Asafo in Kumasi, Ghana
| dc.contributor.author | Agyemang, Joyce | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-02-16T15:56:29Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-02-16T15:56:29Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2019-07 | |
| dc.description | A thesis submitted to the department of theoretical and applied biology Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of Master of Science degree in Environmental Science | |
| dc.description.abstract | Heavy metals pollution and the resultant accumulation to toxic levels in soil may threaten human health through possible routes of exposures. Twenty composite soil samples were taking from different locations within two different zones at the Asafo automobile shops. The soil samples were analyzed for the presence and levels of heavy metals including Fe, Cu, Cr, Zn, Pb and Cd using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. Physicochemical properties such as, pH, electrical conductivity, total organic matter and carbon contents were determined using standard methods to identify the pollution status of the soil. Pearson’s correlation principal component analysis and cluster analysis were used to determine the relationship between the heavy metals and their possible sources. Pollution indexes such as enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and pollution index (PI) estimations were used to assess the extent of heavy metal pollution of the top soil from the study area. Recorded mean values of the physicochemical parameters of soil samples from the two zones were slightly above their respective parameters of the control soil sample. The extent of heavy metal pollution of soil in Asafo was in the decreasing order of Fe > Pb > Cu > Cr > Zn > Cd for zone 1 whereas the order of metal concentrations of soil in zone 2 was Fe > Pb > Zn > Cd > Cu > Cr. The mean EF values calculated for Cd and Pb in the soil samples from Zone 1, using Fe concentrations in the background value were greater than one (1). Also, an extreme contamination ((Igeo <5) of Cr and Zn in most soil samples from zone 2 was observed. The present study therefore concluded that the artisanal activities at the Asafo automobile shops could contaminate the soil and eventually pose threat to humans. The study indicated that the main pollution source within the area of study could be related to the anthropogenic activities, mainly metal fabrication and auto works. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | KNUST | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ir.knust.edu.gh/handle/123456789/17612 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | KNUST | |
| dc.title | Multivariate and metal pollution studies in surface soil from Asafo in Kumasi, Ghana | |
| dc.type | Thesis |