Surface water characteristics and trace metals level of the Bonny/New Calabar River Estuary, Niger Delta, Nigeria

Onojake, M. C.; Sikoki, F. D.; Omokheyeke, O.; Akpiri, R. U.

Abstract

Surface water samples from three stations in the Bonny/New Calabar River Estuary were analyzed for the physicochemical characteristics and trace metal level in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Results show pH ranged from 7.56 to 7.88mg/L; conductivity, 33,489.00 to 33,592.00µScm−1; salinity, 15.33 to 15.50‰; turbidity, 4.35 to 6.65 NTU; total dissolved solids, 22111.00 to 23263.00gm−3; dissolved oxygen, 4.53 to 6.65mg/L; and biochemical oxygen demand, 1.72mg/L. The level of some trace metals (Ca, Mg, K, Zn, Pb, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, and Na) were also analyzed by Atomic absorption spectrometry with K, Zn, and Co being statistically significant (P<0.05). The results were compared with USEPA and WHO Permissible Limitsfor water quality standards. It was observed that the water quality parameters in the Bonny Estuary show seasonal variation with higher values for pH, DO, BOD, temperature, and salinity during the dry season than wet season. Concentrations of trace metals such as Pb, Cd, Zn, Ni, and Cr were higher than stipulated limits by WHO (2006). The result of the Metal Pollution Index suggests that the river was slightly affected and therefore continuous monitoring is necessary to avert possible public health implications of these metals on consumers of water and seafood from the study area.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 23, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Jul 9, 2015
• Publication Date: May 1, 2017
• Deposit Date: Jan 27, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 29, 2020
• Journal: Applied Water Science
• Print ISSN: 2190-5487
• Electronic ISSN: 2190-5495
• Publisher: Springer (part of Springer Nature)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 7
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 951-959
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-015-0306-y
• Keywords: Water quality , USEPA, Pollution metal index, Spectrophotometer, Bonny , Estuary
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/5253560
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13201-015-0306-y