Levels of Trace Metals in surface Sediments from Kalabari Creeks, Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the levels of six trace metals V, Cu, Pb, Cd, Fe and Ni in surface sediment of Kalabari creeks. Surface sediments of about 0-2cm depth were collected from June 2009 to April 2010 at two months interval to cover the rainy and dry seasons. Bulk scientific atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) model 200A was used to analyze the samples. The results obtained revealed that the mean levels of the metal occurred in the order Fe > Ni > Cu > Pb >V = Cd, which were 4,767.06 ± 076.5mg/kg, 20.90 ± 10.47mg/kg, 14.67 ± 12.03mg/kg, 1.63 ± 1.16mg/kg respectively. Vanadium and cadmium were below detection limit (BDL) <0.001 in all the samples. The overall mean levels of trace metal in sediment in the rainy season was in the order Fe > Ni > Cu > Pb > Cd = V, while in the dry season, the order was Fe > Cu >Ni > Pb > Cd = V. The results obtained agreed with WHO and FEPA now Federal Ministry of Environment (FMENV) set standard for sediment.

Keywords: Kalabari creeks, surface sediment, anthropogenic, trace metals, domestic effluent.