Assessing the Potential Environmental and Human Health Risks of Exposure to Surface Soils in Garatu Area near Minna, NigeriaBy*Rabi Badawiyya Umar & Nuhu Musa WaziriDepartment of Geology, Federal University of Technology, Minna, PMB, 65, Minna, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs-2026-1010-5219Keywords:
Geochemistry, Medical Geology, Toxicity, Geogenic Contamination, Heavy MetalsAbstract
The geochemistry of soils in Garatu area, part of Bida Sheet 184NE, Nigeria was investigated to evaluate elemental distribution patterns and their implications for environmental and human health. Surface soils were sampled in the area, and subjected bulk chemical analysis using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry at the National Geosciences Research Laboratory, Kaduna, Nigeria. The median enrichment ratios of 2.0, 5.0, 6.2, 20 and 360 for Cu, V, Fe, Cr and Mo show that these elements are slightly to highly enriched relative to their upper crustal averages. The computed median Igeo values for these elements range from 0.42 to 7.91, indicating that the soils are moderately through strongly to extremely polluted. The oral hazard index (HI) for adults and children are 11.33 and 52.89 respectively. The HI for the dermal exposure scenario are 1.42 and 1.40 for adults and children, respectively. These values show a greater health risk for children through the oral pathway compared to the adult population. However, the risk is considered to be low for both populations via the dermal route. These findings provide the first detailed geochemical baseline for soil in the area, establishing a direct link between the parent rock composition and soil chemistry, which is crucial for environmental and human health risk assessments.
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