What does this research mean for the field?

Indoor dust in primary school classrooms in suburban Southwestern Nigeria contains elevated levels of potentially toxic metals, particularly arsenic and lead, with significantly higher concentrations at high-traffic sites primarily due to vehicular emissions and industrial activities. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate the concentrations, pollution indices, ecological risks, and environmental sources of potentially toxic metals in classroom dust across pre- and primary schools with varying traffic density.

September 5, 2026Scientific ReportsOpen Access

Environmental assessment of potentially toxic metals in settled indoor dust of primary school classrooms in suburban communities of Southwestern Nigeria

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Authors

DADare Joshua AseperiObafemi Awolowo University AAAdeniyi Abiodun AdenugaObafemi Awolowo University OOOdunayo T. OreObafemi Awolowo University

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Implication

Environmental assessment reveals elevated toxic metal contamination and ecological risk in school classroom dust, highlighting significant contributions from vehicular emissions and traffic.

Key Points

To evaluate the concentrations, pollution indices, ecological risks, and environmental sources of potentially toxic metals in classroom dust across pre- and primary schools with varying traffic density.
Collected 36 composite indoor dust samples from pre- and primary school classrooms located across suburban communities in two states of Southwestern Nigeria.
Analyzed elemental concentrations of 13 metals using Energy-Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrophotometry.
Quantified environmental pollution indices and apportioned contamination sources using principal component analysis (PCA) and positive matrix factorisation (PMF).
Metal concentrations decreased in the sequence Fe > Al > Co > Zn > Mn > Pb > Cu > Ni > As > Ag > V > Cr > Cd, with significantly greater accumulation observed in high-traffic sites (p < 0.05).
Pollution indices established that arsenic and cadmium contributed heavily to elevated ecological risks, with arsenic and lead exhibiting extreme contamination levels at several school locations.
PCA and PMF source apportionment identified vehicular exhaust, mechanical wear, industrial emissions, and resuspended crustal soil as the primary drivers of indoor dust contamination.

Cite This Study

Aseperi et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9bd3c76b95aff0620eae6c https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-68696-z

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Implication

Environmental assessment reveals elevated toxic metal contamination and ecological risk in school classroom dust, highlighting significant contributions from vehicular emissions and traffic.

Environmental assessment of potentially toxic metals in settled indoor dust of primary school classrooms in suburban communities of Southwestern Nigeria

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Environmental assessment of potentially toxic metals in settled indoor dust of primary school classrooms in suburban communities of Southwestern Nigeria

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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