Background: Atmospheric heavy metal is a worldwide issue, involving factors like atmospheric emissions, anthropogenic activities, air quality, human health and climate change, but it also leads to a long-term burden on biogeochemical cycling in the ecosystem. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the adverse health effects of level heavy metal exposure in ambient air in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from 4 June to 9 August 2024 at two major towns in Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso). Chemical analyses of As, Pb, Cd, Ni, Cr, Hg and Cu in Particulate Matter (TSP, PM10 and PM2.5) and dust samples were performed by Perkin Elmer Optima 8000 DV, Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrophotometry (ICP-OES) and quantified. Results: Survey data shows the proportion of the incidence of risk factors and medical history. Heavy metals result in concentrations over a weekday showed concentrations < 0.003 μg？m？3 in As, Cd and Cu respectively at all the sites in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso. Concentration in city centres (Pb = 0.010, Ni = 0.010, Cr = 0.014 and Hg = 0.013 μg？m？3 in Ouagadougou vs. Pb = 0.010, Ni = 0.009, Cr = 0.010 and Hg = 0.008 μg？m？3 in Bobo-Dioulasso). Pb = 0.018 μg？m？3, Ni = 0.016 μg？m？3, Cr = 0.012 μg？m？3 and Hg = 0.011 μg？m？3 were recorded in the Ouagadougou industrial area. Conclusion: The atmospheric air is full of detectable concentrations of the heavy metals common to Burkina Faso’s city centres, as well as in the industrial area. As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni and Hg are the ones most strongly affected by anthropogenic inputs such as airborne pollutants.
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