TITLE:
Physical and Chemical Parameters and Some Heavy Metal for Three Rainy Season Months in Water and Sediments of Upper New Calabar River, Niger Delta, Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Awoteinm Dateme Isaiah George, Jasper Freeborn Nestor Abowei
KEYWORDS:
Physico-Chemical Parameters, Heavy Metal, Rainy-Season, Water and Sediments, Upper New Calabar River
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.5 No.5,
May
8,
2018
ABSTRACT: The study of heavy metals in water and sediment was carried out in the upper reach of the New Calabar River, Niger Delta region in Nigeria. Three sampling stations were selected which were Choba, Ogbogoro and Aluu. Water and sediment samples were collected and analysed, using the buck scientific Atomic Absorption/Emission spectrometer 200 A model. Water Physico-chemical parameters were measured in situ. Dissolved Oxygen had an overall mean of 4.17 ± 0.83 mg/l, temperature had mean value of 28.34℃ ± 1.07℃, pH had a mean value of 5.52 ± 0.54, electrical conductivity had a mean value of 1123.39 ± 859.58 μs/cm, BOD had mean value of 4.45 ± 1.14 mg/l, salinity had a mean value of 1.47 ± 1.15 ppt while TDS had mean value of 598.13 ± 529.58 mg/l. Result of heavy metals in water indicated that Zn had an overall mean value of 1.77 ± 0.53 ppm, Cr had mean value of 0.65 ± 0.21 ppm, Pb had a mean value of 0.19 ± 0.11 while Fe had an overall mean value of 1.52 ± 0.34 ppm. Heavy metals in sediment indicate higher concentration than in Water: Zn had an overall mean value of 7.90 ± 2.59 ppm, Cr observed an overall mean value of 1.94 ± 0.81 ppm, Pb had an overall mean value of 2.23 ± 0.61 ppm, while Fe observed an overall mean value of 87.43 ± 6.57 ppm. The result indicated that the source of heavy metals in the aquatic environment could be industrial effluent, domestic waste, dumping of scrap, vessel in the water way and runoff from agricultural land.