A study on the extent to which lead and cadmium from motor vehicles have contaminated roadside soils and vegetation in Nairobi and Kiambu, Kenya.
Abstract
The lead and cadmium concentrations in roadside
soils and grass from six sites in Nairobi and four
sites in Kiambu were determined by atomic absorption
spectrometry. Results showed that both soil and grass
contained the metals studied. Linear regression
analysis between concentrations of metals in the
samples and traffic volumes of sites revealed, the two
were strongly correlated, thus indicating that motor
vehicles form a major source of lead in the roadside.
For cadmium there was no significant correlation
between concentration and traffic volume. The cadmium
concentrations did not show any clear variation with
distance away from the roads.
Citation
M.Sc. ThesisSponsorhip
University of NairobiPublisher
Depatment of Chemistry, University of Nairobi
Description
Master of Science Thesis