Browsing by Author "Etinosa-Okankan, Osarenaye Peter"

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    Assesment of heavy metal contamination and hydrocarbon content in selected aquatic resources in great Qua River, Calabar Nigeria
    (Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2016-04) Etinosa-Okankan, Osarenaye Peter
    Assessment of heavy metal contamination and hydrocarbon content in selected aquatic organism in the Great Qua River was studied. The Great Qua River receives effluents from industries, human settlement, nearby farms and runoff from towns. Water, sediment and aquatic biota (Typanotonous fuscatus, Macrobrachium macrobrachion and Notropis atherinoides) obtain from the Great Qua River was analyzed for heavy metals and total hydrocarbon content (THC). The mean heavy metal concentration values in water across stations were in the range: (Cd), 0.012±0.06 – 0.087±0.06 mg/l; (Cr), 0.017±0.06 – 0.316±0.06 mg/l; (Mn), 0.067±0.02 – 0.071±0.06 mg/l; (Ni), 0.013±0.06 – 0.083±0.01 mg/l; (Cu), 0.092±0.06 – 0.113±0.06 mg/l; (Pb), 0.064±0.12 – 0.081±0.06 mg/l; (Zn), 0.022±0.06 – 0.098±0.06 mg/l; (Fe) 0.048±0.029 – 0.082±0.06 mg/l. The mean heavy metal concentration in sediment were in the range: (Cr), 0.053±0.06 - 0.193±0.06 mg/kg; (Cd), 0.152±0.06 – 0.188±0.06 mg/kg; (Mn), 0.096±0.06 - 0.185±0.06 mg/kg; (Ni), 0.112±0.06 – 0.782±0.06 mg/kg; (Cu) 0.145±0.06 – 0.167±0.06 mg/kg; (Pb), 0.075±0.06 – 0.098±0.06 mg/kg; (Zn), 0.164±0.06 – 0.179±0.06 mg/kg; (Fe), 0.150±0.06 – 0.377±0.06 mg/kg. The mean heavy metal concentration in Macrobrachium macrobrachion were in the range: (Cr), 0.012±0.06 – 0.019±0.06 mg/kg; (Cd) 0.043±0.06 – 0.681±0.06 mg/kg; (Mn), 0.015±0.06 – 0.314±0.06 mg/kg; (Ni), 0.044±0.06 – 0.073±0.06 mg/kg; (Cu), 0.113±0.06 – 0.275±0.06 mg/kg; (Pb), 0.042±0.06 – 0.108±0.06 mg/kg; (Zn), 0.201±0.06 – 0.369±0.06 mg/kg. The mean heavy metal concentration in Typanotonus fuscatus were in the range: (Cr), 0.057±0.06 – 0.120±0.06 mg/kg; (Cd), 0.049±0.06 – 0.169±0.06 mg/kg; (Mn) 0.163±0.01 – 0.241±0.06 mg/kg; (Ni), 0.183±0.06 – 0.215±0.06 mg/kg;(Cu) 0.155±0.06 – 0.179±0.06 mg/kg; (Pb), 0.144±0.06 – 0.147±0.06 mg/kg; (Zn), 0.106±0.06 –0.217±0.06 mg/kg; (Fe), 0.163±0.06 – 0.247±0.06 mg/kg. The mean heavy metal concentration in Notropis atherinoides were in the range: (Cr), 0.011±0.06 – 0.137±0.06 mg/kg; (Cd), 0.133±0.06 – 0.86±0.06 mg/kg; (Mn), 0.082±0.06 – 0.195±0.06 mg/kg; (Ni), 0.029±0.06 – 0.267±0.06 mg/kg; (Cu), 0.106±0.06 – 0.129±0.06 mg/kg; (Pb), 0.138±0.06 – 0.203±0.06 mg/kg; (Zn), 0.123±0.06 –0.207±0.06 mg/kg; (Fe), 0.111±0.06 – 0.337±0.06 mg/kg. The results showed that the mean heavy metal concentration statistically differ significantly across stations in all samples analysed when compared to control (P<0.05) except in the case of cadmium (Cd) in water and Iron (Fe) insediment and T. fuscatus where there was no statistical significance when compared to control (P>0.05). The profile of heavy metal bioaccumulated was in the order Typanotonous fuscatus>Macrobrachium macrobrachion>sediment>Notropis atherinoides>water. The mean THC value in water were in the range: 0.215±0.06 – 0.395±0.06 mg/l; sediment, 0.379±0.06 - 0.481±0.06 mg/kg; Macrobrachium macrobrachion, 0.106±0.06 – 0.167±0.06 mg/kg; Notropis atherinoides, 0.0063±0.06 – 0.288±0.06 mg/kg and Typanotonus fuscatus, 0.142±0.06 –0.157±0.06 mg/kg.The total hydrocarbon content statistically differ significantly in all samples analysed across stations (P<0.05) and the order of THC bioaccumulation was in the order sediment>water>N. atherinoides>T.fuscatus>M. macrobrachion. The result from the correlation analysis between heavy metals, THC and physicochemical properties revealed that there was a perfect relationship between the uptake of these heavy metals / hydrocarbons by these aquatic organisms and the physicochemical properties of the water. Apart from Mn, Zn and Fe that were below the WHO acceptable limit, all other metals analysed were slightly above the WHO acceptable limit. The THC values in all samples analysed were above the WHO acceptable limit. These suggest that the river has been polluted by anthropogenic activities around its environs. Close monitoring of pollution stress, public enlightenment and appropriate laws should be put in place to avert possible metal and hydrocarbon compound induced health hazards from the consumption of the aquatic biota from the river.