Levels of trace metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn) were quantified in water, sediment and winkles (Pachymelania bryonensis and Pachymelania fusca mutans) in Akani Obio Uruan River, Nigeria during wet and dry seasons using standard procedures. Results revealed that mean levels (mg/l) of the metals in water ranged from 0.016 for Cr to 0.087 for Cd in wet season and 0.010 for Cu to 0.082 for Zn in dry season. In sediment, the metals levels (mg/kg) ranged from 0.002 for Pb to 0.161 for Zn in wet season and 0.001 for Pb to 0.438 for Cu in dry season. In winkles, the metals levels (mg/kg) ranged from 0.002 for Pb to 0.069 for Cd and for Cu in the wet season, and 0.001 for Pb to 0.058 for Cd and for Cu in the dry season. Estimated human health risk from each metal contamination due to consumption of the water, dermal absorption through swimming and consumption of winkles gave each of hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) values of less than one (< 1), indicating no risk since the levels of contamination in each case are not likely to cause any adverse health effects in humans.
Levels of some trace metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb and Mn) were investigated in roadside soil and the leaves of a common perennial vegetable (Vernonia amygdalina). Soil and vegetable samples were collected from roadsides of three major roads in Abak (Ikot Ekpene road, Ikot Abasi road and Uyo road). The samples were digested using standard methods and analysed using Unicam 939/959 atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The results revealed that the levels of all the metals in soil samples were higher than the levels of metals in the corresponding vegetable. The metal levels in both the soil and vegetable samples were in the order: Cu > Zn > Pb > Mn > Cd. Cu, Cd and Pb with the levels of 106.71, 0.25 and 0.54 mg/kg, respectively, in plant samples respectively were higher than the WHO maximum permissible limits of 73.30 mg/kg for Cu; 0.20 mg/kg for Cd and 0.30 mg/kg for Pb. Zn (45.25 mg/kg) and Mn (0.47 mg/kg) were below the maximum permissible limits of 99.40 mg/kg for Zn and 500 mg/kg for Mn. Further analysis of the V. amygdalina pollution status using transfer factor (TF) revealed that Zn had the highest TF value of 0.5 while Cd recorded the lowest of 0.019. The toxic risk (hazard quotient) for adults and children consuming the V. amygdalina leaves showed that Cu was greater than one (1) and other metals were generally low and within safe limits. The Hazard indices were greater than 1 for both adults (1.69E+0) and children (1.94E+0). This implies that the trace metal contamination was capable of posing health hazard to consumers of this plant.
The levels of some trace metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn) were quantified in water, sediment and two species of winkles (Pachymelania bryonensis and Pachymelania fusca mutans) in Akani Obio Uruan River from August to September 2018 (wet season) and February to March 2019 (dry season), using Varian spectra 100 atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The levels of some physicochemical parameters (temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solid (TDS), nitrate, sulphate and phosphate) were equally quantified in water. From the results, Cd level of 0.088 mg/l in water was higher than those of the other trace metals investigated. Accordingly, Cu level of 0.602 mg/kg in sediment was higher than 0.017 mg/kg in water and 0.077 mg/kg in one species of the winkles. Zn level of 0.141 mg/kg in one species of the winkles was higher than those of the other metals. In general, the levels of most of the metals were higher in all the samples during the wet season. This could be attributed to excessive water runoff during the wet season which could have resulted to the leaching of various kinds of wastes into the water bodies. Interestingly, the levels of all the trace metals investigated in all the samples were below the maximum acceptable limits stipulated by WHO and the US environmental protection agency (USEPA). Physicochemical examination revealed that the levels of pH, temperature, TDS, EC, nitrate and sulphate were below the maximum permissible limits set by WHO. The levels of DO and phosphate in the water were however higher. This may have deleterious effect on aquatic ecosystem and the health of the rural dwellers that consumed the winkles and use the river water directly for domestic purposes without treatment.
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