Abstract

The concentrations of heavy metals in sediment of Silver River were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The result indicated the presence of heavy metals at different concentrations. The concentrations of the heavy metals showed that Fe>Mn>Zn>Cu>Ni>Cr>Pb>Cd>Hg. The mean concentrations of the measured metals in mg/Kg were Cd (2.638±0.900), Pb (6.004±1.368), Cr (6.228±1.752), Ni (6.570±1.102), Cu (8.754±2.386), Zn (15.320±3.486), Fe (219.593±22.641), Mn (54.172±51.645) and Hg (0.006±0.005). All the concentrations of the heavy metals examined when compared with those of average value of heavy metals in shale showed that all the metals were lower than their corresponding world average values except Cd. Contamination factor index analysis of the sediment heavy metals burden showed that the sediment was polluted with Cd, contaminated with Cu, Zn and Cr and uncontaminated with Pb, Fe, Mn and Hg, Ni. Thus, showing that despite the heavy oil discharges from artisanal refining practices, the sediment is yet to be contaminated. The obtained values are yet to implicate anthropogenic input sources of heavy metals into the river. However, frantic effort should be put in place to curb input sources into the river.

Keywords: Sediment;Pollution; Silver river;Heavy metals; Contamination