INVESTIGATION OF THE TRANSPORT OF COPPER IN AN AUTOMOBILE SPARE PARTS MECHANIC DUMPSITE

ABSTRACT

Heavy metals constitute a substantial threat to soil, land, and water due to the environmental contamination caused by inappropriate disposal of automobile wastes. This research investigated the effects of automobile spare parts dumpsite on soil by determining the concentration of a heavy metal (copper) and the physicochemical characteristics of the soil at Uwelu mechanic dumpsite in Edo State. This study was done to investigate the transport of copper in soil using response methodology. 1.0g of the soil sample was weighed, dried, powdered, and sieved into the digestive tube. 10ml of mixed acid was added. The digestive tube was heated until a clear solution was obtained. During heating, dense white fume was produced. After heating, a little deionized water was added to the clean solution. The solution was filtered into a 25 ml volumetric flask and deionized water filled the volume. A blank reagent was made without a sample. atomic absorption spectrophotometer (A.A.S.) was used to identify the metal. CCD was used to design experiment as a statistical model for optimization. Copper is maximized with optimal values coded units of value. The findings of this study showed the bulk density of the soil to be 1.6667g/ml, the moisture content was 2.79% and the porosity was found to be 40.7%. The model was significant with p< 0.0001 and showed good fit to the experimental. At a depth of 20 cm and after 72 hours, the highest concentration of copper was 0.21 mg/l, as observed. The experimental and expected copper concentration values did not differ significantly.