The flood in 2012, which was recorded as the most devastating in the past 40 years in Nigeria, that caused colossal loss in material wealth, could also be a source of heavy metal pollution, especially at the lower reaches of the flood where deposition of flood transported materials occurs. Heavy metals (Fe, Ni, Cd, Cr, Zn, Cu and Pb) concentrations were determined in soil samples from two locations, an area submerged by the flood water (flooded) and an area at a higher elevation than the flood water (unflooded), which served as the control. The soil pH, texture, Total Organic Carbon, and Cation Exchange Capacity were also determined. Standard laboratory methods were employed for all the analyses. The soil in this study was characterized as sandy/clay/loam soil following the particle size analysis, with an average pH of 4.6 in the flooded soils and 6.5 in the unflooded soils. Total Organic Carbon (TOC) ranged from (0.936-1.989)% in the flooded soil and (0.663-0.939)% in the unflooded soil. Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) was higher in the flooded soil (1.936-3.234) meq/100 g, than in the unflooded soil (1.164-1.722) meq/100 g. The results of
The sorption of Pb 2+ from solution by poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) waste has been investigated. The morphological characterization of the collected PMMA polymer were studied by scanning electron microscopy. Equilibrium, kinetics and thermodynamic batch adsorption experiments of Pb 2+ on the PMMA waste samples were carried out. This study enabled the determination of the concentration, time and temperature effects, respectively on the adsorption properties of the PMMA polymer. The morphological image of the PMMA polymer showed the presence of irregular small size particles that indicated a high surface which is therefore possible to facilitate sorption. The reaction kinetics of the adsorption studies of Pb 2+ by the polymer followed a second-order rate process. The results indicated that the adsorbent, PMMA, proved to be an effective material for the treatment of lead contaminated water solution. The thermodynamic studies suggested a reaction that favoured a relatively low temperature (low energy) sorption that is exothermically controlled with a physisorption mechanism.
This study was aimed at assessing the bioavailability of heavy metals in the surface water of the Middleton river which is a tributary of the river Nun located in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria. Samples were collected at points within and around oil and gas installations in the area while control points were chosen farther from identified pollution point sources. Three replicate samples were collected for each sampling and control location on a biannual basis for two months (March and August 2017) to reflect the dry and wet seasons respectively. A total of forty-two surface water samples were analyzed for heavy metals using standard methods as given in APHA. Heavy metal variables which were examined indicated significant difference between the locations and the two seasons under study (p<0.05). Dry season heavy metals mean were: Fe (6.55 ± 2.36 mg/l and 7.39 ± 1.35 mg/l); Cr (0.43 ± 0.09 mg/l and 0.34 ± 0.02 mg/l); Mn (0.22 ± 0.31 mg/l and 0.02 ± <0.01 mg/l) and Zn (0.04 ± 0.03 mg/l and 0.01 ± <0.01 mg/l) representing five sampling and two control locations respectively. Wet season heavy metal mean levels were relatively lower when compared to the dry season and depicted values of Fe (4.91 ± 2.55 mg/l and 5.46 ± 2.09 mg/l); Cr (0.27 ± 0.05 mg/l and 0.23 ± 0.01 mg/l); Mn (0.13 ± 0.25 mg/l and <0.01 ± <0.01 mg/l) and Zn (0.01 ± 0.01 mg/l and <0.01 ± <0.01 mg/l) across five sampling and two control locations respectively. All other heavy metals analyzed such as Cd, Ni, Co, Pb, and Cu was found to be below the detection limit of the GBC Avanta PM A6600 -Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The iron and chromium levels found in the Middleton river exceeded permissible limits of DPR, FME, WHO and NESREA while chromium and zinc were within permissible limits of regulatory stipulations. Lower concentration of heavy metals in the wet season could be due to dilution effects while the absence of undetected heavy metals may depict that activities leaching out this heavy metals are not common in the study area.
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