The unregulated activities of a scrap iron and steel smelting industry in Lagos, Nigeria necessitated the
sampling of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) particles from various sections of the industry. The
samples were analyzed using polarized energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) technique which
allowed the simultaneous detection of over 25 elements in each of the samples. The mass
concentration levels ranged from 86 to 8765 µg/m
3
for PM10 and 10 to 462 µg/m
3
for PM2.5. The highest
concentrations of 8765 and 462 µg/m
3
for PM10 and PM2.5, respectively, were observed at one of the
electric arc-furnaces (EAF-2). This was attributed to the scrap smelting and additives used. The
observed high concentrations of PM10 lead (Pb) at various sites, when compared with exposure limit of
between 1.0 and 5.0 µg/m
3
set by Occupational safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and United
State Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) is emphasized. For zinc (Zn), the measured levels
exceeded the OSHA workplace occupational exposure limit set at 1 mg/m
3
for an 8-h workday over a 40-
h work week and that set by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) for up to
a 10-h workday over 40-h workweek. These results suggest the need for immediate repair or
replacement of the emission control devices.