Concentrations, sources, and health risk assessment of metals in indoor dust collected from visual arts studios of selected tertiary institutions in Southern Nigeria

Abstract This study provides data on the concentrations and occupational risk of Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, Cu, Co, Mn, Zn, and Fe in indoor dust from visual arts studios of nine tertiary institutions in southern Nigeria. The dust samples were digested in aqua regia and their metal concentrations were quantified by atomic absorption spectrometry. The concentrations of metals in dust from visual arts studios ranged from not detected (nd) to 91.5 mg kg−1 Cd, 4.5 to 540 mg kg−1 Pb, 0.10 to 1,100 mg kg−1 Cr, 0.50 to 1,150 mg kg−1 Ni, 10 to 15,600 mg kg−1 Cu, 0.5 to 146 mg kg−1 Co, 3.0 to 3,680 mg kg−1 Mn, 93.5 to 9,600 mg kg−1 Zn, and 853 to 237,000 mg kg−1 Fe. The degree of contamination of the dust particles by metals was assessed by making use of the contamination/pollution index, geoaccumulation index and enrichment factor. These indices suggested that dusts from these visual arts studios were impacted with Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn. The hazard index (HI) and cancer risk values relating to adults’ exposure to metals in dust from these arts studios were within safe limits. Principal component analysis indicated that the sources of metal contamination in dust from these visual arts studios were related to inputs from constituents of the artist’s materials and vehicular emissions.