HEAVY
METAL DISTRIBUTION IN SEDIMENT OF AKPABUYO STREAM, CROSS RIVER BASIN SOUTH EASTERN NIGERIA
Geology
department
ABSTRACT
Sediment samples were collected through the purpose sampling method from various streams in Akpabuyo L.G.A, ten sample
location were selected. The concentration and areal distribution of selected
metals (Fe, Zn, Mn, Cr, Ni, Co, Cu, Cd, Pb) in the sediments of Akpabuyo
streams .Geo-accumulation index have been calculated to assess whether the
concentrations observed represent background or contamination levels. It proves
that the choice of the background plays an important role in the interpretation
of the geo-chemical data. It is concluded that the selected streams in Akpabuyo
is uncontaminated except a metal (Cd) which it i-geo value is 1 which means it
is moderately/uncontaminated.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ii
LIST OF FIGURES – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
– – – – – iii
LIST OF TABLES – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
– – – – iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
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CHAPTER ONE
1.1
INTRODUCTION
1.2
AIMS AND OBJECTIVE
1.3
STUDY AREA
1.4
GEOLOGY OF THE STUDY AREA
CHAPTER TWO
2.1
LITERATURE REVIEW
CHAPTER THREE
3.1
MATERIALS
3.2 METHODOLOGY(FIELD)
3.3 LABORATORY METHODOLOGY
CHAPTER FOUR
4.1 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Heavy metals pollution of aquatic ecosystem
is becoming a potential global problem,
pollution typically refers to chemicals or other substance in concentration
greater than it would occur under natural conditions. Water pollution is the
introduction by man of substances into the aquatic environment resulting from
deleterious effect as harm to human health (FAO 1990).The presence of increased
level of heavy metals in the aquatic environment has been of much concern for
the past decades due to adverse effect of some metals on living organisms in
food chains leading to man. Pollutants are the cause of major water quality
degradation around the world. Several toxic metals which are important to the
environment and human health have been detected in aquatic media. These toxic
metals include the non-essential meals and are no importance to humans (Borgman
and Norwood 2002).
Trace amount of heavy metals are always
present in fresh water from terrigenous sources such as
weathering of rocks resulting into geo-chemical recycling of heavy metal elements
in these ecosystem. Trace elements may be immobilised within the stream
sediments and could be involved in absorption, co-precipitation and complex
formation. Sometimes they are co-adsorbed with other elements as oxides,
hydroxides of Fe, Mn, or may occur in particulate form.
Heavy
metal may enter into aquatic ecosystem from anthropogenic sources, such as
industrial wastewater discharge, sewage wastewater, fossil fuel combustion, and
atmospheric deposition. Trace element in stream sediment compartment can be
used to reveal the history and intensity of local and regional pollution. In
this work, the of stream sediment contamination was assess using
geo-accumulation index.
1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The main objectives of the current study area are:
1.
To assess the extent and degree of
metals, and the origin of these metals, using the geo-accumulation index of the
metals.
2.
To determine the total content of heavy
metals in surface sediments of Akpabuyo.
3.
To estimate the anthropogenic input and
to assess the pollution status on the area.
1.3 STUDY AREA
The study area which is
located in Akpabuyo, Cross River State lies between longitudes 80 22I 30II
E – 80 30I 0II
E and latitude 40 52I 30II N – 40
57I 30II N (fig 2). With an area of 126,4032 Square Km. Although
many stream samples where collected but few was selscted for the heavy metal
analysis. The various Locations in Akpabuyo which sediment samples were
collected and used to carry out the analysis are Esuk Mbat stream(L1), Esuk
Ekpo Eyo Stream(L2), Ikot Akwa Stream(L3), Dan Archibong Stream(L4), Itu Stream(L5),
Ikot Ndarake Stream(L6), Asioha Stream(L7), Ikot Ekpo Ene Stream(L8), Ekpene
Ikot Imo Stream(L9), Ikot Nakanda(L10), and their following coordinate shown
respectively (table 1.3) . It originate from a hilly region and flows through
several villages and farmland