Assessment of Contamination by Heavy Metals in Sediments of Ase River, Niger Delta, Nigeria

As part of assessment Ase river, in dry and wet season of 2006, sediment samples were collected at five locations to determine spatial variation of anthropogenic pollutants. Heavy metal levels (mg kg super(-1)) in the sediment were Cd 2.89 plus or minus 2.97, Pb 7.00 plus or minus 10.04, Cr 2.34 plu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Research journal of environmental sciences 2007-05, Vol.1 (5), p.220-228
Main Authors: Iwegbue, CMA, Nwajei, GE, Arimoro, F O
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:As part of assessment Ase river, in dry and wet season of 2006, sediment samples were collected at five locations to determine spatial variation of anthropogenic pollutants. Heavy metal levels (mg kg super(-1)) in the sediment were Cd 2.89 plus or minus 2.97, Pb 7.00 plus or minus 10.04, Cr 2.34 plus or minus 2.53, Cu 3.32 plus or minus 2.37, Mn 24.27 plus or minus 9.92, Ni 7.04 plus or minus 7.49, Fe 110.53 plus or minus 101.54 and Zn 12.46 plus or minus 4.56 for dry reason and Cd 2.35 plus or minus 2.71, Pb 6.42 plus or minus 9.03, Cr 21.16 plus or minus 2.19, Cu 3.38 plus or minus 1.72, Mn 21.58 plus or minus 14.93, Ni 5.62 plus or minus 4.22, Fe 86.93 plus or minus 88.36 and Zn 5.63 plus or minus 4.22 for wet season. The results (p greater than or equal to 0.05) revealed significant spatial and temporal variation in the characteristic levels of heavy metals in the sediments. The variance results from changes in contaminants supply, rate of deposition and erosion as well as seasonal variability in physicochemical conditions. The accumulation pattern of heavy metals in the sediment follows the order Fe> Mn >Zn >Ni >Pb >Cu >Cd >Cr. The levels of heavy metals were similar to levels found in unpolluted sediments and continental crust except for Cd. Such sediment system is at risk of cadmium pollution.
ISSN:1819-3412
DOI:10.3923/rjes.2007.220.228