Metal contamination of surface water, sediment and Tympanotonus fuscatus var. radula of lko River and environmental impact due to Utapete gas flare station, Nigeria

Benson, N. U. and Etesin, Usoro M. (2007) Metal contamination of surface water, sediment and Tympanotonus fuscatus var. radula of lko River and environmental impact due to Utapete gas flare station, Nigeria. The Environmentalist, 28 (3). pp. 195-202. ISSN 1573-2991

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Abstract

Inter-seasonal studies on the trace metal load of surface water.sediment and Tympanotonus fuscatus var. radula of lko River were conducted between 2003 and 2004. The impact of authropogenic activities especially industrial effluent. petroleum related wastes. gas flare and episodic oil spills on the-ecosys1em are remarkable. Trace metals analyzed included cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr). copper (Cu). iron (Fe), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn). nickel (Ni). vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn). Sediment particle size analysis revealed that 1hey were characteristically psammitic and were predominantly of medium to fine grained sand (>73%). less of silt (<15%) and clay (<10%). These results correlated with low levels of trace elements such as Pb (0.03 ± 0.02 mg kg-'). Cr (0.22 ± 0.12 mg kg- 1), Cd(0.05 ± 0.03 mg kg- 1), Cu (0.04 ± O.Q2 mg kg- 1) and Mn (0.23 ± 0.22 mg kg- 1) in 1he sediment samples. This observation is consistent with the Scarcity of clayey materials known to be good scavengers for me1allic and organic contaminants. Sediments indicated enhanced concentration of Fe, Ni and V, while other metal levels were relatively low. The concentrations of all the metals except Pb in surface water were within the permissible levels,suggesting that the petroleum contaminants had minimal effect on the state of pollution by trace metals in lko River. No1ably, the pollutant concentrations in the sediments were markedly higher than the corresponding concentrations in surface water and T. fuscatus tissues, and decreased distance from point sources of pollution.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Trace metals · Water pollution · Sediment . Coastal environment · Nigeria
Subjects:	Q Science > QD Chemistry
Divisions:	Faculty of Engineering, Science and Mathematics > School of Chemistry
Depositing User:	Mrs Hannah Akinwumi
Date Deposited:	05 Feb 2016 11:24
Last Modified:	05 Feb 2016 11:24
URI:	http://eprints.covenantuniversity.edu.ng/id/eprint/5856

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