Abstract
The cause of heavy metal contamination in stream sediments is probably related to mining activities in Igun study area. Hence the degree of contamination of major and trace elements was carried out to ascertain environmental impact assessment of Igun and its environs, the geology of the study area shows that talc schist, quartzite, amphibolite and granite are the major rock types within the study area, while petrographic studies show quartz, microcline feldspar, biotite, muscovite and hornblende as the main mineral constituents. Total numbers of ten (10) stream sediment samples were collected, air dried at room temperature and analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) techniques. From the result of geochemical analysis of the stream sediment samples, the mean concentration for trace elements revealed that Manganese (Mn), Strontium (Sr), Zinc (Zn), Gold (Au) Nickel (Ni), Cobalt (Co) and Lead (Pb) have the mean values of 1704 ppm, 75.11 ppm, 55.80 ppm, 40.22 ppm, 26.15 ppm, 20.94 ppm, 10.60 ppm respectively. The contamination of metals was noticed from the geo accumulation index (Igeo), for stream sediments such as Nickel (0.1), copper (0.5), Manganese (0.6) with Igeo < 1 depicting that these metals are practically uncontaminated. Cobalt (0.1), Zinc (1.1) with Igeo number > 1 < 2 are moderately contaminated and Gold with Igeo of (9.6) indicate very high contamination. In conclusion the results shows that some part of the study area are contaminated and this includes Imoo (location 4), Owena (location 9) and Oke - Ipa (location 1) compared to other locations in the study area which are not contaminated.
Highlights
The occurrences of metals in stream sediment can be a times adduced to geo-genic or anthropogenic activities of man in such an environment
The cause of heavy metal contamination in stream sediments is probably related to mining activities in Igun study area
From the result of geochemical analysis of the stream sediment samples, the mean concentration for trace elements revealed that Manganese (Mn), Strontium (Sr), Zinc (Zn), Gold (Au) Nickel (Ni), Cobalt (Co) and Lead (Pb) have the mean values of 1704 ppm, 75.11 ppm, 55.80 ppm, 40.22 ppm, 26.15 ppm, 20.94 ppm, 10.60 ppm respectively
Summary
The occurrences of metals in stream sediment can be a times adduced to geo-genic or anthropogenic activities of man in such an environment. Many industrial processes concentrate metals like copper, cadmium, lead and zinc. These gathering end up in the earth (Courchesne, 2005). Trace metals are found in the soil, water, biota and sediment compartments of the environment, but potentially the most hazardous environmental effects to human health arise when they enter the food chain. Trace metals studies have been an area of active investigation over the years. They are important in many fields of human endeavor such as human and animal nutrition. Sediment in rivers is polluted by acid mining drainage which consists www.ccsenet.org/jgg
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