Abstract
The key role of sediments in aquatic systems is widely known, sediments are frequently neglected as a factor in the evaluation of water quality assessment. This study assessed the sediment quality of the Peri-urban Amagba-Okoroma River, Benin City, Nigeria, emphasizing physicochemical parameters and heavy metal contamination. Three sites (Upstream site 1, Midstream site 2 and Downstream site 3) were studied and river sediments were collected from each of these sites using Van veen grab. The sediments were collected three times each in the month of March and July, 2023. The results revealed temperature (25.67°C-26°C), slightly alkaline pH (7.55-7.68), and low electrical conductivity (49.33µS/cm-54.67µS/cm). Heavy metals evaluated were all within threshold/probable effect level guideline: Cd (0.09-0.10 mg/kg), Cr (5.61-6.10mg/kg), Cu (18.62-19.90mg/kg), Pb (0.33t-0.37mg/kg), and Zn (32.47-35.01mg/kg). However, Cu slightly exceeded thresholds-effect level limits at midstream site 2 and downstream site 3, indicating localized pollution sources. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis identified significant correlations between Cd-Cr and Cu-Zn, suggesting shared pollution sources likely from industrial or agricultural runoff. Cluster analysis reveal that sites 2 and 3 are more similar compare to site 1 (upstream). The heavy metal pollution indices collectively indicated no sediment contamination across the sites. Geo-accumulation index values for Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn suggested unpolluted conditions across all sampling sites. Contamination factor values corroborated these findings, indicating low contamination levels for all metals. Contamination degree values further confirmed the sediment's low degree of contamination, aligning with Pollution load index values, indicating non-pollution. This study underscores the significance of regular monitoring and targeted mitigation efforts to sustain the ecological health of the river ecosystem amidst potential anthropogenic pressures.
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Schedule a callMore From: Open Journal of Agricultural Science (ISSN: 2734-214X)
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