TOXIC HEAVY METALS, CADMIUM (CD) AND LEAD (PB), IN PAINT CHIPS OF SHIPPING CONTAINERS IN KATHMANDU

Deepak Dhakal

Deepak Dhakal Department of Chemistry, Patan Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal

Keywords: acid digestion, atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), paint chips

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) elements are considered hazardous heavy metals that are known to induce multiple organ damage, even at lower levels of exposure. Paints are major sources of environmental contaminants like Cd and Pb; and 100% samples of the scraped paints on the walls of shipping containers had 0.25 ppm to 0.59 ppm Cd whereas Pb ranged from 150 ppm to 482 ppm. Five representative samples of paint chips were taken from the walls of the shipping containers available in Kathmandu Valley. A sample solution was prepared by acid digestion using the 3050B method; Cd and Pb metals were analyzed by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS), in which 100% samples were contaminated with Pb above the WHO toxicity range whereas 80% samples were tainted by Cd but remained under WHO toxicity range. The result is significant for concerned authorities and citizens to be alerted to the potential hazardous metals exposure in the city.