Concentration and Human Exposure Assessment of Selected Heavy Metals and Parabens in Indoor Dust from Selected Areas in Ibadan
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Date
2025-12
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Lead City University Ibadan
Abstract
Indoor dust from residential environments has been shown to retain harmful chemical pollutants, including parabens and heavy metals. Consequently, the quality of indoor dust, to which humans are regularly exposed, is a global concern for human well-being. However, in Nigeria, there is a lack of monitoring and risk assessment data on the co-occurrence of these chemical residues. For this study, heavy metals (Cu, Mn, Pb, Zn, Cr, Ni, and Cd) and parabens (MeP, EtP, PrP, and BuP) were quantified by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with an Ultraviolet detector, respectively. The results were validated through linearity (R2 > 0.999) and recovery (99.6–101%) procedures. The concentrations and associated health risks of these selected heavy metals and parabens, along with their implications for human
health, were assessed using indoor dust samples collected from several residential areas in Ibadan. Samples were gathered from twenty locations in the Southwestern part of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. The concentration of heavy metals varied considerably, with the highest mean recorded for Mn (17.14), followed by Zn (2.82), Cu (1.59), Pb (1.06), Cr (0.20), Ni (0.32), and Cd (0.01). Mn posed significant non-carcinogenic risks via inhalation, and these risks were higher for adults than for children. Cr and Ni exhibited considerable Target Carcinogenic Risks (TCR) through inhalation, with higher risks observed in adults. Similarly, the concentration of parabens varied, with MeP (2706.37) having the highest mean concentration, followed by EtP
(887.21), BuP (861.09), and PrP (757.31). The Hazard Quotient and Hazard Index values for both children and adults were below 1, indicating low risk. A significant negative correlation was found between Cd and EtP, suggesting different sources. Overall, heavy metal contamination of indoor dust was classified as low. Nevertheless, the co-occurrence of toxic metals and parabens underscores the need for monitoring and preventive health measures.
Keywords: Indoor exposure, Dust particles, Health risk assessment, Toxic heavy metals, Parabens
Word Count: 300
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Keywords
Indoor exposure, Dust particles, Health risk assessment, Toxic heavy metals, Parabens
Citation
Kate Turabian