Assessment of Heavy Metal Concentrations with Fractionation Method in Sediments and Waters of the Badovci Lake (Kosovo)

Abstract

The concentrations of thirteen metals (Al, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn) were analyzed in waters and sediments of the Badovci Lake. The total metal concentrations in the water followed the descending order: Fe > Al > Mn > Cu > Ba > Zn > As > Ni > Pb > V > Co > Cd > Cr, and the total metal content in the sediments also followed the descending order: Fe > Al > Mn > Ni > Cr > Pb > Ba > Zn > V > Cu > As > Co > Cd. According to EC 98/83, Al, Fe, and Mn at some sampling sites exceeded safety limits for drinking water, whereas other elements were at acceptable levels. The total content of Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and V in the sediments exceeded the target values of the New Dutch List. Using pollution indicators such as the contamination factor (CF) and geoaccumulation index (Igeo), most of the samples were unpolluted to moderately polluted by Cu, Cr, Pb, V, and Ni. The values of the pollution load index (PLI) were more than one (>1), indicating progressive deterioration of the sediment quality. The enrichment factor (EF) for all the studied metals suggests their enrichments in sediments of the Badovci Lake. Most of the elements were found in the residual fraction strongly bonded to the crystalline component. Pb, Mn, and Cu were bound in the organic and exchangeable components. The extent of pollution by heavy metals in sediments of the Badovci Lake implies that the environmental condition is relatively stable, and attention should be paid to metals bonded in the extractable and organic phases. It is recommended to periodically monitor water and sediment quality.

Evaluation of Pollution Load: Heavy Metal Contents and Physiochemical Properties of the Great Kwa River, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria

“…The inhalation and dermal routes entry of chromium is very toxic, causing lung cancer, nasal irritation, nasal ulcer, hypersensitivity reactions, contact dermatitis and cytotoxic and genotoxic reactions; affecting the immune system of man [52]. The surface water containing chromium seen in this study was lower than the reported values in Mbat-Abbiati Creek and Oberekkai Creek [7], River Gongola in Adamawa State [53], surface water in Kaduna metropolis [42] and Kosovo lakes [21]. Previous documented researches reported either higher or similar values as seen in this study; including Orashi River, Rivers State [22], Qua-Iboe river, Akwa Ibom state [6], Nun River in Gbarantoru and Tombia towns, Bayelsa State, Nigeria [41].…”

“…Globally, anthropogenic contaminants are washed into surrounding water bodies and coastal environment from industries, untreated dump sites in developing and under-developed countries. Heavy metals are very serious contaminants to the aquatic ecosystem [1][2][3][18][19][20][21]32] and are finally deposited in human ' s system when they feed on these contaminated aquatic animals like fish, crab, shrimps, lobsters, etc [19,33,34]. The mean values of heavy metal concentrations in water samples in this present study was lower than the standard set by Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water (NSDW) [35], World Health Organization (WHO) in 2017 [36] and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) [37], except for Iron (0.489±0.009 mg/l and 0.438±0.003 mg/l), chromium (0.068±0.016 mg/l and 0.055±0.008 mg/l) and nickel (0.031±0.001 mg/l and 0.025±0.002 mg/l) in that were higher than the Nigerian standard for drinking water [35].…”

“…Toxicity varies according to the prevailing environmental conditions of a place coupled with the chemical speciation of metals. Water pollution is a common and significant problem globally [5][6][7][19][20][21][22]. Water is an essential natural resource for human life, developing economy and society in terms of agriculture, industry, etc.…”

Data analysis of heavy metal content in riverwater: multivariate statistical analysis and inequality expressions

“…Metal pollution in agricultural soils could also be identified using these indices [34]. Further, [35] employed these three methods to examine heavy metal pollution in both water and sediment, and [36] used these indices to evaluate contamination degree of the Rybnik water reservoir. These same pollution indices (Igeo, EF, and CF) were used in this study for comparability in evaluating heavy metal concentrations in the Akcay River and its tributaries in Finike Plain.…”

“…* CF (metal) is the ratio between the content of each metal and the background value in sediment and water samples of the study area[35]. * * C/Fe (sample) and C/Fe (background) represent the heavy metal-to-Fe ratios in the study and in the background sample, respectively[35].…”