International Journal of Engineering Research and Reviews
ISSN 2348-697X (Online) Vol. 8, Issue 1, pp: (38-44), Month: January - March 2020, Available at: www.researchpublish.com
Water Quality and Heavy Metals Concentrations in River Taraba at Bali Haruna Ibrahim1, Nasiru Yahaya Ahmed2 and Abdulrahman Adamu3 1
Department of Science Laboratory Technology, School of Science and Technology,
2
Department of Agricultural and Bio-Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering Technology,
3
Department of Animal Science, School of Engineering Technology, Federal Polytechnic Bali, PMB 05 Bali, Taraba State. Corresponding Author harunaibrahim41@gmail.com +2348102130327
Abstract: Basically the pollutants accumulated in the river bed sediment affect the bio-community through food chain for a long period of time, and this is as a result of suspended sediment adsorbs pollutants from flowing water in rivers and deposits onto the bed. To study this problems the concentration of heavy metals (Cr, Cd, Cu, Zn, and Pb) in water and sediment were investigated in River Taraba at Bali, from September 2018 to February 2019. The potential sources of water contamination are geological conditions, industrial and agricultural activities, and water treatment plants. Poor water quality affects not only aquatic life but the surrounding ecosystem as well. The mean value of the water quality parameters at the study area are; temperature is 28.16 oC, pH is 8.18, conductivity is 38.55, DO is 7.11 and TDS is 3.05. The values of water quality parameters collected from different point of the river were found to be within the recommended limits of WHO and NDWQS. The concentrations of the heavy metals were also measured and found to be well below the standard maximum concentrations. Similarly, the mean value of heavy metal concentration in the sediment were as follows; Cr = BLD, Cd = 0.059 mg/kg, Cu = 17.52 mg/kg, Zn = 1.753 mg/kg, and Pb = 0.025 mg/kg. Hence the result revealed that heavy metals concentration in the sediment were within Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)/WHO limit. Concentrations of heavy metals in the sediment and the water were within the recommended limit for fish and fish products. Therefore, these metals have no immediate health threat on the consumers of fish and fish products from River Taraba at Bali, but periodic monitoring of heavy metals in River Taraba is recommended since the river serves as a source of fish and water for all-year-round irrigational farming. These measurement efforts of water quality can also assist in restoration projects or ensure environmental standards are being met. Thus, the results of the present study can serve as baseline data for these species and for comparisons with future studies. Keywords: Water Quality, Sediment pollution, Heavy Metals, River Taraba,
I. INTRODUCTION Heavy metals are persistent environmental contaminants that are very harmful because of their potentials to accumulate in different body parts. Most are extremely toxic because of their solubility in water, and even at lower concentrations they may have damaging effects because of the lack of good mechanisms for eliminating them, [23], [27]. Prolonged intake of heavy metals through foodstuffs may lead to chronic accumulation in the kidney and liver of humans and animals causing disruptions of numerous biochemical processes, leading to cardiovascular, nervous, kidney and bone diseases [12], [39]. Some heavy metals such as Cu, Zn, Mn, and Co act as nutrients for the growth of animals and humans when present in small quantities, whereas others such as Cd, As, and Cr act a s carcinogens [32], and, Hg and Pb are associated with the development of abnormalities in children [22]. Aquatic systems enable hydrological cycling, climate regulation, and habitat provision for aquatic organisms. Heavy metal pollution in the aquatic environment has attracted global attention because of the environmental toxicity, persistence, and bioaccumulation of heavy metals, which can pose adverse effects on living beings and the entire ecosystem [8], [41]. Sediment is considered as the largest pool of heavy metals in the aquatic environment. About 99% of the heavy metals load in aquatic systems has been found to ultimately precipitate onto the sediment. Heavy metal concentrations in the sediment are usually four or five times higher than that found in the overlying water [20] [40]. Thus, sediment quality can reflect the heavy metal pollution status of the whole ecosystem.
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