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Application of multiple sediment quality guidelines in the assessment of Oron Channel sediment


I.W. Eke
G.N. Iwuoha

Abstract

The concentration of heavy metals in fresh water sediments from Oron Channel was investigated over a 2-year period (2015 to 2016). The concentration of Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb) Mercury (Hg), Cadmium (Cd) and Zinc (Zn) was determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The trace metals concentrations ranged over the following values: Cr: 4.90 – 5.36mg/kg; Cu: 0.17 – 0.22mg/kg; Fe: 103.94 – 109.65mg/kg; Ni: 1.03 – 1.11mg/kg; Pb: 0.02 -0.02mg/kg; Zn: 12.02 – 12.67 for the first year (2015) and Cr: 6.09 – 7.16mg/kg; Cu: 0.129 -0.33mg/kg; Fe: 196.23 – 199.02mg/kg; Ni: 156.26 – 158.63mg/kg; Pb: 0.02 – 0.045mg/kg; Zn: 13.04 – 13.52mg/kg for the second year (2016) while the concentrations of Hg and Cd were undetected at a detection limit of 0.001mg/kg in both years. The mean metal concentration in the period was in the order: Fe > Zn > Cr > Ni > Cu > Pb and Fe > Ni > Zn > Cr > Cu > Pb respectively. The mean metal concentration of all detected metals increased between the first and second year with a 7.5% increase in Zn and a 14576.64% in Ni. The sediment was assessed with respect to heavy metal content using the USEPA sediment quality guideline and the Consensus-Based sediment quality guideline (CBSQG).

Keywords: Sediment, Heavy metals, Oron channel, Pollution


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eISSN: 1118-1931
print ISSN: 1118-1931