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Abstract
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Article Information:
Heavy Metal Contamination and Physico-Chemical Assessment of the Densu River Basin in Ghana
G.B. Hagan, F.G. Ofosu, E.K. Hayford, E.K. Osae and K. Oduro-Afriyie
Corresponding Author: Godfred Bright Hagan
Submitted: 2011 February, 12
Accepted: 2011 March, 21
Published: 2011 June, 05 |
Abstract:
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Physico-chemical and Trace metal analyses were carried out on water and sediment samples from
the Densu River in Ghana to ascertain the water quality. The pH values ranged from 6.55 to 7.33 and were
within the natural background level of 6.5-8.5. The Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) values ranged from 67.1 to
113.0 mg/L and were below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended value of 1000 mg/L. The
Electrical Conductivity (EC) values ranged from 150.3 to 223.0 μS/cm and were below the acceptable value
of 350 μS/cm for unpolluted river. The salinity values were generally insignificant. The Atomic Absorption
Spectrometry (AAS) technique was used for the trace metal analysis. The elemental analysis was done for Cd,
Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni and Zn. The analysis gave Fe (1.590-6.090) mg/L, Mn (0.039- 0.661) mg/L and Zn
(0.005-0.021) mg/L in the water samples. The concentrations of Cd, Cu, Hg and Ni were below their respective
detection limits for the analytical method used. The elemental concentrations in the soil sediments were
Cu (6.0-46.5) mg/kg, Fe (11,200-47,800) mg/kg, Mn (143-1488) mg/kg and Zn (6.5-108.0) mg/kg. Cd, Hg and
Ni levels were below their respective detection limits. Enrichment factor computation for the soil sediments
revealed that there could be moderate anthropogenic contributions to the levels of Mn and Zn in the sediments.
Key words: Atomic absorption spectrometry, electrical conductivity, elemental analysis, enrichment factors, pH, physico-chemical analysis, total dissolved solids
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Cite this Reference:
G.B. Hagan, F.G. Ofosu, E.K. Hayford, E.K. Osae and K. Oduro-Afriyie, . Heavy Metal Contamination and Physico-Chemical Assessment of the Densu River Basin in Ghana. Research Journal of Environmental and Earth Sciences, (4): 385-392.
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ISSN (Online): 2041-0492
ISSN (Print): 2041-0484 |
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