Investigation of selected heavy metal and physio-chemical properties of Ekpan River in Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract

This research work assessed the heavy metals and some physio-chemical properties in Ekpan Rive in Abbe Community of Delta State. It was aimed to ascertain the causes of pollution and effects of selected heavy Metals in the Ekpan River. The analysis entails the following parameter which was pH, Temperature, total dissolved solids, conductivity, Dissolved Oxygen, Turbidity, chlorine, SO₄², sodium, potassium, zinc, lead, copper, iron, chromium, and cadmium. The analytical technique employed was instrumental analysis (AAS) using the standard method. The pH meter was used to analyze for pH, conductivity meter was used to analyze for conductivity and total dissolved solids. The turbid meter was used for turbidity and zinc, lead, copper, iron, chromium, and cadmium after being digested according to standard was analyzed using the Varian 220 FS (Fast sequential) atomic Absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). To achieve this, the river was divided into three sampling points viz; the surface level, mid-depth level (2/3 depth), and base level (a meter after) in which the sample was collected from the river, and results were obtained from the analysis. The mean concentration (mg/l) of heavy metal were: Zn, 0.256, 0.269, and 0.28; Pb, 0.001, 0.001 and 0.001: Cu, 0.061, 0.069 and 0.078; Fe, 0.157, 0.166 and 0.173, Cr 0.001; 0.061 and 0.001, Cd, 0.001, 0.003 and 0.003. for samples A, B, C respectively. The mean result obtained for pH was 7.05, 715, and 2.26, for temperature, 27.6, 27.5, and 27.8 for sample A, B, C respectively, the mean result obtained for TDS were 71.8, 74.77, 77.4 and conductively were 126.3, 136.3 134.2 and 139.5 for sample A, B, C respectively.  The mean result obtained for dissolved oxygen (Do) were; 5.20, 4.50, and 4.30, turbidity, were 35.97, 43.66, 48.12 for samples A, B, C respectively in Ekpan River.  The variations in heavy levels between the sampling station were not significant (P>0.05). the concentrations of the evaluated Physico-chemical properties were within the guideline levels for surface water, although the turbidity was high while the evaluated heavy metals were below the allowed limits of the WHO standard and did not appear to have a significant negative impact on the water quality.