Journal of
Ecology and The Natural Environment

  • Abbreviation: J. Ecol. Nat. Environ.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2006-9847
  • DOI: 10.5897/JENE
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 407

Article in Press

ASSESSMENT AND COMPARISON OF HEAVY METALS POLLUTION IN SEDIMENTS FROM EFFLUENT CHANNELS AND NEW GUSAU RESERVOIR, NORTH WESTERN, NIGERIA.

Sani, Z. R. and Rabiu, S.

  •  Received: 07 December 2022
  •  Accepted: 23 January 2023
Sediment contamination by heavy metals is one of the global issues particularly in developing countries such as Nigeria. Heavy metals analysis done using acid digestion method and Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AA224FS). The concentration of Lead (Pb), Copper (Cu), Cadmium (Cd), Zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) in sediments from effluent channels of Yar Dantse (YDS), Yar Dole (YDL) and Yar Rumfa (YRF) and New Gusau Reservoir (NGR) were analyzed from February 2018 to July 2020. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, with significance difference set at p<0.05. The results of sediment metals analysis indicated a clear pattern between channels and New Gusau Reservoir. This can be related to the discharging of a channel effluent into the reservoir. The sediment Cu ranges from 0.03-5.66mg/kg, Cd 0.91-2.98mg/kg, Fe 7.09-63.77mg/kg, Pb 1.02-2.45mg/kg and Zn has 1.79-25.67mg/kg. The heavy metals in sediment showed relatively higher values in channels compared to the receiving reservoir. The concentration of heavy metals in sediment did not exceed maximum accepted limit for WHO. The contamination factor (CF) confirmed the sediment was not polluted by heavy metals except Fe with very high degree of contamination in all composite sites. The Pollution load index (PLI) and The Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo) values were lower than one (? 1) in all the composite sites, indicating good sediment quality except in YRF with considerable degree of pollution level. Therefore, the sediments in YDS, NGR and YDL had low PLI and hence not polluted by heavy metals.

Keywords: Effluent Channels, Heavy Metals, Pollution, Contamination, Geo- accumulation