Contamination Assessment of Heavy Metals in Sediment Cores from De Montigny Lake around Siscoe-Sullivan Former Mining Sites, Val-d’Or, Canada

Patrick Vualu Ibula Mambenga

doi:10.22158/se.v6n4p16

Abstract

Seven sediment cores were collected from De Montigny Lake in order to determine concentrations, and contamination assessment of heavy metals such as Cr, Zn, Ni, Pb, Cu, Co and Cd. The mean concentrations of heavy metals are as follows: 48.3 mg/kg for Cr, 36.4 mg/kg for Zn, 20.6 mg/kg for Ni, 14.7 mg/kg for Pb, 10.2 mg/kg for Cu, 6.7 mg/kg for Co and 0.1 mg/kg for Cd. Based on the sediment quality guidelines, the mean concentration metals such as Cr, Cu and Ni exceeded the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) guideline. However, the concentration of Cr was more than the Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for Protection of Aquatic Life (CCME), and Threshold Effect Level (TEL) guidelines. The metal contamination in the sediments was also evaluated using Enrichment Factor (EF) and geoaccumulation index (Igeo) to assess natural and anthropogenic factors. The results of enrichment factor methods demonstrated that sediments from De Montigny Lake were moderately to high enriched, mainly controlled by through anthropogenic activities. According to Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs), the concentrations metals from the core sediment of De Montigny Lake are classified as having moderate impacts with potential adverse biotoxic effects.

Highlights

Metals and metalloids are hazardous contaminants in the environment
The concentration of Cr was more than the Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for Protection of Aquatic Life (CCME), and Threshold Effect Level (TEL) guidelines
The basic objectives of this study were as follows: (1) determine the vertical spatial distribution of heavy metals in sediments; (2) assess the natural and/or anthropogenic sources by using the Enrichment Factor (EF), the geo-accumulation index (Igeo), CCME Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs) guidelines (1999) and the quality of sediment based on Sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) (Smith et al, 1996); (3) define the natural and/or anthropogenic sources of metal contamination by using statistical analyses: Pearson’s correlation matrix and Principal Component Analysis (PCA)

Summary

Introduction

Metals and metalloids are hazardous contaminants in the environment. Metal Contamination of sediments may be due to the natural sources (for example processes of alteration and dissolution of minerals in parent rocks and soils), or by anthropogenic activities (for example mining and agricultural activities) (Xuelu & Chen-Tung, 2012; Kalloul et al, 2012; Keshavarzi et al, 2015). Siscoe-Sullivan former mining sites may contribute to metal contamination of the water and sediments of the De Montigny Lake. It is recognized that the mining activities are known to be a source of metal contaminants in aquatic system (Riba et al, 2002; Ahn et al, 2005; Kapoor & Singh, 2020). It was essential to study the levels of contamination in the sediments from De Montigny Lake by heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni and Cd), and to define the natural and/or anthropogenic sources of heavy metals. The basic objectives of this study were as follows: (1) determine the vertical spatial distribution of heavy metals in sediments; (2) assess the natural and/or anthropogenic sources by using the Enrichment Factor (EF), the geo-accumulation index (Igeo), CCME SQG guidelines (1999) and the quality of sediment based on Sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) (Smith et al, 1996); (3) define the natural and/or anthropogenic sources of metal contamination by using statistical analyses: Pearson’s correlation matrix and Principal Component Analysis (PCA)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion