Determination of Some Heavy Metals in the Effluent of Paint Industry in Wukari, Taraba States-Nigeria and their Environmental and Human Health Associated Risks.

In this research work, effluent from paint industry found in Wukari, Taraba State, North eastern Nigeria was collected for the determination of some heavy metals such as Cadmium (Cd), Lead (Pb), Manganese (Mn) and Zinc (Zn) using Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS). The samples were digested to yield metal ions (Cd, Mn, Zn, and Pb) with significant homogeneity while removing complex matrix effects using an aqua regia. The heavy metals concentrations before treating the effluent were as follows: Cd 0.039ppm, Zn 0.200ppm, Pb 1.296ppm and Mn 0.260ppm. Comparing these values with the maximum permissive limit (MPL) by WHO of Cd=0.003-0.03mg/L, Zn=0.1-3.0mg/L, Mn=0.4mg/L and Pb=0.01-0.4mg/L, the results obtained shows that Cd and Pb were above MPL, Zn was within MPL and Mn was below MPL by WHO. The results obtained from this study clearly shows that wastewater generated from the paint industry contain residual chemicals that can be toxic to human health and the environment. Therefore, it is essential for routine monitoring of the concentration levels of these heavy metals in the effluent and effective treatment mechanism before releasing them into the environment.